Addenda Antiquaria – Archaeological finds from Dumfries and Galloway in the last decade

In a well-illustrated presentation, Andrew Nicholson described the remarkably wide variety of mainly archaeological material found across the region in the last decade or so, mainly through metal detecting but also through chance finds. Metal detecting activity has led to increase in the quantity of finds made each year. Finds are also made through archaeological excavation and site monitoring, but Andrew’s talk focussed particularly on metal detecting and casual finds which have been reported, as required by law, to the Treasure Trove panel.

The finds were presented largely in chronological order. From early prehistoric metal work to Victorian military badges. While too numerous to mention individually, amongst the highlight finds were an Early Bronze Age halberd blade found in Kelton near Dumfries, whose broken-off point was found near the first find-spot but 10 years later! Both pieces are now reunited in Dumfries Museum. Another metal-detecting find was a large fragment of a gold ‘lunula’ or crescent-shaped necklace or collar, of late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date which was found at Cruggleton, near Garlieston. Amongst casual finds was an Iron Age horse-fitting, found near Wardlaw, Caerlaverock, spotted by a sharp-eyed farmer while ploughing. Another casual find was a Roma ‘ballista’ bolt head found when digging a drainage trench near the Roman fort at Glenlochar, near Castle Douglas.

Early medieval finds found by metal detector included a small copper alloy crucifixion plaque found on St Mary’s Isle, just south of Kirkcudbright. Only seven examples of this type have been found in the British Isles; the other six in Ireland. Casual finds from the same period include a complete stone wheel-headed cross, found by a farmer at Airyolland Farm near Port William. Remarkably three coin hoards of silver pennies, deposited during the Wars of Independence, have been found in recent years at three different sites – Heathhall near Dumfries, Closeburn and Twynholm near Kirkcudbright. These were examples of ‘star’ finds, however Andrew pointed out that the great majority of metal detector finds were fragmentary and insignificant. Post-medieval and more recent finds were common and included coins, musket balls, military badges, shoe buckles and buttons. The oldest find to date was not man-made, but a mammoth’s leg bone found near Loch Ryan. No other surviving examples have been found in Scotland.

D.F.D.