George VI Scottish Silver Traprain Law Replica Roman Spoon
A George VI Scottish silver Spoon with a large egg shaped bowl and a short curved handle with a figural terminal of a bird’s head holding a seed in it’s bill. The spoon is a reproduction of a Roman spoon that was part of the Traprain Law treasure hoard discovered at Traprain Law near Edinburgh in 1919.
By Brooks & Son, Edinburgh, 1939.
The Traprain Law treasure is a hoard of late Roman hacksilver, found on the hillfort of Traprain Law (East Lothian, SE Scotland)—then owned by former prime minister A. J. Balfour—during excavations in 1919. It is the largest hoard of Roman hacksilver currently known, weighing just over 23 kg (51 lb). It consists mostly of Roman silver vessels, a few of which are complete but most of which had been cut into fragments or crushed. There are a few items of personal equipment and coins. The hoard was probably buried in the early fifth century AD. Early interpretations saw it as loot; more recent views prefer to see it as diplomatic gifts or payment for military service. It is currently on display in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The hoard was found during excavations on the hill on 12 May 1919. The description of the discovery suggests it was buried in a pit dug within a house cluster on the uppermost levels of the western shoulder of the hill. During the Roman Iron Age, Traprain Law was a major local political centre beyond Hadrian's Wall. Excavations revealed a wealth of Roman finds, suggesting long-running connections to the Roman world. The hoard is usually interpreted as representing the burial of valuables to keep them safe.
The silver was restored by the Edinburgh silversmiths Brook & Son. This involved heating the silver to anneal it and make it malleable, so that it could be shaped back to its original form. Brook & Son also made replicas of the silver for sale. Some were direct copies or restorations of the originals; others were modified for contemporary taste, for instance by turning a spoon into a tea strainer.
£210.00
