Caledonianforge

We have now finally published my long promised but delayed article about the "Ancient Rings of Scotland" on our website. Please go check it out and leave us a comment with your opinion. caledonianforge.com/blogs/news/anc…

A very busy week this week but I'm wading through your orders. Couple of Garnet set WAINEs, couple of mini Pictish hand pins with glass and lots of hammers in gold and silver.

Next in the "Ancient Rings of Scotland" collection. The Dundurn Pictish ring. Based on one of the mould fragments of Dundurn: likely for a pin which I also have made, but I think it also has similarities with the Burghead ring so I turned the centre into a setting for a garnet.

Big pile of work going out the door today, we're flat out packaging them all up and just waiting for a few bits to arrive from the Assay Office so we can post on Friday. Thanks as always for the support everyone.

Dozens of unique styles of Pictish brooches exist however there is one style that seems to be repeated multiple times. I'm calling this the "Perth Brooch" because it was inspired by a fragment from Perth museum however identical examples have been found at Galway and Birsay.

A selection of pieces from Viking contexts. The silver hammer with glass beads from a grave in Repton, England A silver and glass ring from Birka, Sweden and the gilt bronze and silver cross from Ballycotton, Ireland.

A pouch fit for an Anglo Saxon warlord! I made this pouch from thick vegetable tanned leather based on finds from Birka and applied gold plated bronze Woden head mounts based on real Anglo Saxon artefacts, referred to commonly as WAINES (Woden Avatars in Numerous Environments)

The Galloway Hoard cross. This cross is one of the most significant finds from early medieval Scotland and it warms my heart to know how such an iconic artefact from our past is still finding its home in the modern clergy across the world

Many Scottish legends revolve around shape shifting seals who can turn into people. These people are known as Selkies which in the legends are often women who have had their sealskins stolen. They cannot return to their seal form without their sealskin.

I worked very hard on this reproduction of a Pictish pennanular brooch found in Galway, Ireland now in the @metmuseum in the USA. The original might be far away but we have many examples of this type of brooch in Scotland that I will elaborate on soon :)

Willendorf Venus pendants are now also available in bronze along with silver. Got a bunch made up and ready to go now :) #willendorfvenus #thicc #neolithic

You may remember many years ago I made an interpretive sculpt of a Carrion Crow in a Pictish style. I really liked that one but it had been bothering me for a while how dated it looked so I've now given it a refresh :) last pic is a comparison.

Ancient Rings of Scotland. Unique pieces from bronze and silver, inlaid with garnets and glass cabochons. Every piece has been carefully studied and handcrafted based on real ancient rings found across Scotland. ✨ #pictish #Scottish #celtic

Some random bits from Birsay I made recently. Seriously the sheer amount of Pictish and Norse finds from Birsay could keep me occupied forever, such a fascinating site. Couple of bone bits and a copper pair of tweezers.

The mould fragments found in Birsay are some of the most fascinating examples of Pictish metalworking, and even if the objects themselves are lost we can learn so much about Pictish style by examining them. I based this ring on one of these fragments

Another from "Ancient Rings of Scotland". One of the silver Roman Rings from Culbin Sands, Moray. The original artefact has an empty stone setting but I figured a carnelian cabochon would be a good replacement.

Our "Ancient Rings of Scotland" collection is now here! First up is The Iona Ring. Based on a bezel from Iona in the @nationalmuseumsscotland - Filigree sterling silver with gold plating and a glass cabochon.

Started making a solid silver Pictish neck chain but the project was abandoned near the start. I had the first few rings left over and discovered each link is the perfect size to be hammered into a viking style money ring. Quite an interesting thing to ponder...