'An Tilleadh' - 'The Return' Exhibition

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis (CEN) is pleased to announce the launch of a special exhibition on the 18th April 2023. 

Following a year of planning between Comunn Eachdraidh Nis and The National Museum of Scotland, locally discovered Bronze Age finds will be returning to Ness.

In 1910, an eclectic hoard of objects was recovered while peat digging near Adabrock.   This hoard dates to the Late Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BC). It contains bronze axeheads, a spearhead, razors and tools, as well as fragments of a decorated vessel, two whetstones and rare beads of glass, amber and gold. It is one of the most diverse hoards in Britain.

Also, two Late Bronze Age bronze swords were found on separate occasions while peat digging at Aird Dell in 1891 and 1892. These swords are characteristic of the period, bearing elegant ‘leaf-shaped’ blades. One sword is still complete and reasonably sharp, even after three thousand years in the ground.

More remarkably, an original horn handle survives on the second sword with attachment rivets embedded in the hilt.