This intact iron chisel was found on an old ground surface and may be associated with a nearby hearth. This particular example is covered in a thick layer of corrosion, though you can see the original metal surface showing through at the head and central section around the hole, where AOC’s conservators have cleaned back the corrosion.

Chisels like these are used by blacksmiths for cutting hot or cold iron, with cold chisels usually being shorter in length and often handheld, and hot chisels (like this one) usually longer and sometimes with a wire handle attached to help protect the smith from the hot metal they are working.

This chisel is particularly interesting as it has a central hole through the shaft that may once have been threaded with wire loop to form a handle, which is fairly unusual in comparison with other known chisels dating to the same period. The widest part at the top of the chisel is referred to as the head, and you can see how it fans outwards slightly from the shaft, which has been caused by repeated hammer-blows by the smith during use.

3D model of the chisel

This spindle whorl is made from a light brown siltstone and decorated with an incised pattern of repeating horizontal lines within alternating panels. The pattern is mirrored on the opposite side by the same offset pattern.

Spindle whorls were used during textile production to twist raw fibres into thread. They were mounted at the end of a long spindle and spun, with the weighted whorl providing balance and momentum. This particular example has areas of reddish-brown staining on the surface, probably left by the lanolin found in wool.

Traditionally believed to be associated with feminine gender roles, spindle whorls were likely prized personal items that were often intricately decorated and may would have been carried about the person at all times so that the spinning of the fibres could be done whenever it was needed. Spindle whorls may also have been strung and worn as beads when not in use.

3D model of the spindle whorl

This is a fragment of a mould that was carved out of a slab of red sandstone, an excellent material for mould making. This particular example was used to cast molten metals into the shape of what appears to be a handled mirror. This example is broken so we can see the hollow for the long narrow ‘handle’ which expands at the broken end into a sub-circular shape, the top of which has been lost.

What type of object was being made is a bit of an enigma, however, as the object produced from this mould would be too thick and too small to be a mirror, and some suggest that perhaps this could be a more unusual form of ingot (as opposed to the more common bar ingots). Others have suggested that it may have formed a blank (also known as a die) which was then beaten into a thin sheet metal object, such as a vessel or a lamp.

We do not know exactly what object was produced from this mould as no metal objects survive from the early medieval period that closely match its form or shape. As it stands, the function of this stone remains a bit of a mystery, although stones carved with similar shapes have been found on other sites in contexts where metalworking was taking place.

3D model of the stone mould

This is part of a mould made from red fired clay that was used to cast objects out of copper alloy. This is one half of a mould that would have had a mirror image of what you see here on the other side. If you look closely you can see the outline of a circular ring with a triangular portion next to it. This triangular portion is the valve into which the molten metal was poured, which would have filled the circular portion, creating a small ring or possibly a brooch hoop. Lots of these types of clay moulds were found on King’s Seat, but because the clay is so fragile, hardly any have survived that show recognisable forms, which is important in knowing what types of objects were being cast. This type of casting is known to have taken place on other similar high status sites across Scotland, such as at the Brough of Birsay in Orkney, the Mote of Mark in Dumfries and Galloway, at Dunadd in Argyll and Bute, and at Rhynie in Aberdeenshire.

3D model of the ceramic mould

This is a handle fragment from a small ceramic jug. This type of ceramic is known as E-ware, which generally dates from the later 6th and 7th centuries AD, and is recognisable by its white gritty fabric. E-ware is thought to originate in the Saintes region of south-west France, and was imported to Scotland acting as a container for exotic goods such as nuts, fruits, spices, wine, purple dyes, and other luxury items.

Jugs such as the one this handle is from are rare amongst E-ware assemblages, and this one is even small in comparison and must have come from a very small jug. Only two other small jugs have been found in Britain, one from the Mote of Mark, and another from Whithorn, both of which are in Dumfries and Galloway.

In addition to the small jug, other E-ware vessel forms such as a bowl and a jar were also identified at King’s Seat. The discovery of more than one type of E-ware vessel at a single site is quite unusual, and suggests that King’s Seat may have a royal association with links to other sites such as Dunadd in Argyll and Bute, and may have been involved in the importation and redistribution of luxury goods.  

3D model of the jug handle