The 9th-century Anglo-Saxon Horn-mount from Burghead, Morayshire, Scotland

Abstract

THE silver horn-mount found at Burghead, Morayshire, and now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland,¹ is of a form otherwise unrecorded amongst the corpus of late Anglo-Saxon metalwork. Although it was discovered nearly 150 years ago, the mount has never received the full publication it merits and, as a result, a number of mistaken ideas concerning it have become established. Previous discussion on the use of horns by the Anglo-Saxons has largely been confined to the subject of drinking-horns, but Anglo-Saxon literature and manuscript representations indicate the importance of blast-horns for various purposes, such as signalling in battle and summoning men to feasts. This type of horn is best seen as a combination of hunting-horn and bugle and, as part of a warrior's equipment, is likely to have been highly decorated. That the Burghead mount may have come from such a blast-horn must be considered seriously.