

The St. Ninian’s Isle Treasure is a hoard of silverware discovered in St. Ninian’s Kirk.
The hoard was found on the 4th of July 1958 in a larch box under a cross-inscribed stone slab in the floor of the church. It has been suggested that the silver was hidden for safekeeping upon the approach of Norse raiders at the end of the 8th century or beginning of the 9th century.
The hoard contained Pictish silver penannular brooches, bowls and other artefacts including sword decorations. The brooch pictured above was found to have been only 40% pure silver, indicating that it was made from heavily diluted silver possibly as a result of recycling. One of the bowls can be seen in the top left of the photo below.

A probably 8th century Pictish brooch can be seen labelled “4” in the photo below (along with brooches from Aldclune labelled “5” and Rogart labelled “6” dating to a similar period).

The silverware was donated to the then National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, now the National Museums of Scotland, in 1965-6, and replicas are housed in the Shetland Museum.
Where is St. Ninian's Isle?
St. Ninian's Isle is in the parish of Dunrossness and the county of Shetland.
Grid reference: HU 3685 2090
Lat / long: 59.971415, -1.341628
OS Map for St. Ninian's Isle
Alternative names for St. Ninian's Isle
St. Ninian's Isle Treasure
References (websites)
Pictish sites near St. Ninian's Isle
Pictish sites
- Gaulcrosshoard (268.93 km)
- Burgheadfort (279.3 km)
- Parkhillsilver chain (309.21 km)
- Niggsilver chain (320.56 km)
- Torveansilver chain (322.53 km)
- Dunnicaerfort (339.02 km)
- Norrie's Lawhoard (422.94 km)
- Traprain Lawsilver chain (451.64 km)
- Haddingtonsilver chain (454.07 km)
- Hoardweelsilver chain (463.63 km)
Pictish stones
- Breck of Hillwell Class I symbol stone (6.3 km)
- Mail Class I symbol stone (9.49 km)
- Sumburgh Class I carvings (10.46 km)
- Papil Stone Class III cross slab (10.64 km)
- Lerwick Class I symbol stone (22.48 km)
- Bressay Stone Class III cross slab (26.24 km)
- Eswick Class I carving (34.96 km)
- Sandness Class I symbol stone (40.74 km)
- Uyea Class I symbol stone (81.57 km)
- Yell Class I symbol stone (84.95 km)
Historic sites near St. Ninian's Isle
Ancient sites
- Old Scatnessbroch (10.46 km)
- Green Hillbroch, cists (161.1 km)
- Green Hill of Scartonbroch (165.15 km)
- Outer Green Hillbroch (165.24 km)
- Burrowston (possible)broch (165.61 km)
- Green Hillbroch (165.85 km)
- Green Hill of Hestigeobroch (165.97 km)
- The Skeobroch (169.93 km)
- Duncansby Head (possible) (site of)broch (174.95 km)
- Green Hillbroch (177.98 km)