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Incomplete gilded silver pin from an early-medieval annular or penannular brooch. It has a D-shaped or pentagonal cross-section, with a flat undecorated reverse and a rounded or angled front. In two places the front has been flattened; in the centre is a lozengiform depression bearing an interlaced knot in counter-relief, and at one (probably broken) end is a similar but now triangular panel bearing a different design of counter-relief knot. The pin may be broken here (although the end is concave and its surface is even and fairly smooth), but it is possible that the panel was always triangular and bordered an elaborate pin head. The two knots are of different designs; the lozengiform panel has a loose symmetrical tripartite loop with pointed ends and two tight knots, and the triangular panel has a triangular loop with a central loosely tied knot. Below the lozengiform panel is a tiny heart-shaped raised area with further raised dots in the two upper lobes. The pin is bent out of shape below the central lozengiform panel, which has caused some stress to the metal on the reverse, but this half of the pin is intact with its blunt point. It is more pentagonal or facetted in cross-section in the lower half than here than above the central panel. The gilding is patchy but clearly originally covered all sides including the reverse; no gilding is visible in the sunken areas, but it may be there and be obscured by dirt and corrosion.

The reverse is flat and undecorated, but has a transverse ridge just above the bend and just below the heart-shaped motif. The ridge appears to be broken and has some copper corrosion adhering.

Original unbent length: c. 82mm. Length as bent: c. 57mm. Maximum width (at top): 6.2mm. Maximum thickness: 2.7mm. Weight: 6.65g.

This design of pin, with one or more panels of decoration, is known from various Irish and Pictish brooches. In date they range from the Hunterston brooch (late 7th or early 8th century) to the Ardagh and Ervey brooches of the 9th century (Youngs 1989 nos. 69, 81 and 86). A particularly close parallel is the pin from the County Cavan brooch dating to the late 8th or early 9th century. Although the County Cavan brooch appears to have been far better made, it has very similar triangular and lozengiform panels on the shaft filled with the same kinds of interlace design. A date of 8th or 9th century is therefore appropriate for this pin.

• Youngs, S. M., 1989. 'Work of angels': masterpieces of Celtic metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD London : British Museum publications.

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Created: Wednesday 14th April 2010
Updated: Wednesday 7th December 2011