Pictish silver comes home to Inverness

Two important historical treasures are coming north this month for display at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery from the National Museums Scotland.

Well-known locally and in the collections at the National Museums Scotland, the Pictish silver chain found at Torvean and the Croy Hoard will go on display alongside the museum’s collection of Pictish stones until the end of October. These superb artefacts are displayed together for the first time in the context of the areas in which they were discovered.

The massive silver Torvean chain was found in 1808 during digging works for the Caledonian Canal, on the outskirts of Inverness near Torvean Hill.  It is made from solid silver and consists of 16 pairs of linked silver rings, and weighs 2.88kg.  It is a stunning piece of craftsmanship and, according to the Inverness Journal of the time it was: “…the work of an artist of no inconsiderable skill.”  Only ten of these chains have been found, all from Scotland.

In the spring of 1875, a girl planting potatoes in a field at Croy near Inverness dug up several pieces of ancient jewellery including a complete silver brooch and a section of plaited silver ribbon.  Finds of this quality are very rare and archaeologists believe that the hoard may have originally been owned by a skilled Pictish craftsman or jeweller.

Provost of Inverness Councillor Jimmy Gray will be at Inverness museum to welcome staff from National Museums Scotland who will install the chain and the hoard at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.

Provost Gray said: “The Torvean chain, especially, is well known in the Highlands. It is a unique opportunity to see a really important piece of our history.   It is the biggest and possibly the most important pieces of jewellery ever found in Scotland, and we are very pleased to see it on display here in Inverness for the summer.”

The Torvean chain and the Croy hoard will be on display at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery from 15 June until the end of October 2011. The museum is open 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and admission is free.