Legacies of Rome: Roman silver and its impact in Scotland

The fourth and fifth centuries AD are elusive periods in Scotland's history, but recent studies of silver objects at National Museums Scotland are providing exciting new data and theories. On one hand, fresh analysis of the hoard of late Roman hacksilver from the Traprain Law hillfort in East Lothian has revealed new perspectives on this famous find, transforming it from 'pirate's loot' to a story about frontier politics and economic and political turmoil. On the other, new work on the supposedly ‘early Medieval’ hacksilver hoards from Norrie’s Law in Fife and Gaulcross in Aberdeenshire, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century, pulls them into context of the Romans and reveals new styles of silver emerging in a changing frontier.

Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology at National Museums Scotland, will talk about this work, the importance of these studies, how they are allowing us to rethink developments and connections in fifth-century Scotland, and silver's role as a powerful medium for expressing status and identity.

Biography

Dr Fraser Hunter is the Principal Curator of Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology at the National Museum. His undergraduate degree and PhD are both from Bradford University, and he has worked at the National Museum since 1991. His research work focuses on three key topics: making the most of Iron Age material culture, understanding Iron Age decorative metalwork (“Celtic art”) in its European context and understanding the impact of the Roman world on the peoples of Scotland in its Empire-wide context.

Doors open at 6.45pm