Gleaming eyes and the elaboration of Anglo-Saxon sculpture

Resource type
Book chapter
Creator (person)
Blackwell, Alice
Date published
October 14, 2016
Abstract
This paper presents the results of the analysis of an Anglo-Saxon cross-shaft fragment from Aberlady, East Lothian that confirm the long-suspected belief that the drilled eye sockets found among Northumbrian and Mercian sculpture originally contained separate eye insets. A tin lining was positively identified in one of the drilled eye sockets on the Aberlady stone, thus providing the first analysed evidence of how these insets were affixed. Eye insets are a small but significant addition to the means of embellishment of Anglo-Saxon sculpture, and their potential iconographical significance is explored
Book title
Ancient lives: object, people and place in early Scotland. Essays for David V Clarke on his 70th birthday
Editor
Hunter, Fraser
Sheridan, J A
Pagination
317-330
Publisher
Sidestone Press
Place of publication
Leiden, Netherlands
Official URL
Related URL
Keywords
Additional information
Full-text available to be read online for free via the official URL