Remaking and Remembering the Monymusk Reliquary

The Monymusk Reliquary, housed in the National Museum of Scotland, belongs to the Insular tradition of ‘house-shaped shrines.’ Scholarship has long identified these objects as portable reliquaries, although it has also been argued more recently that they contained chrism. In the 19th century, the Monymusk shrine was mistakenly identified as the Breccbennach, a relic of St. Columba, believed to have been carried in battle during the Scottish Wars of Independence, particularly at Bannockburn (1314). Though this association has been debunked, it has shaped the reliquary’s modern perception. While the shrine is usually dated to the eighth century, this paper explores the shrines multiple components, arguing that some are older than the shrine’s constructions. Equally, it explores additions and alterations within the early medieval period, and the implications that has on function. Comparisons with other medieval shrines suggest a complex history of adaptation. The reliquary embodies a blend of preservation and reinvention, serving as a tangible link between early and later medieval Scottish traditions.