St Ninian's Isle Treasure

The St Ninian's Isle Treasure contains twenty-eight silver objects including bowls, brooches, spoons, and weapon decorations from the eighth century.

In 1958, fifteen-year-old Douglas Coutts discovered the collection beneath a stone slab while participating in an archaeological excavation at a medieval chapel site.

The silver items display Pictish craftsmanship through detailed decorative patterns and demonstrate the metalworking skills of early medieval Scottish craftsmen.

Visitors can examine replicas of the treasure at the Shetland Museum, while the original collection resides at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

The wooden box that contained the silver items was made from larch, indicating trade connections since this tree species did not grow in Britain at that time.

Location: Shetland Islands

GPS coordinates: 59.97149,-1.34164

Latest update: May 12, 2025 03:24