10 Minchmuir Traquair to Melrose Kist maker: Linda & Rankin Kinsman Blake Ceramics Design taken from: Gold finger-ring from Selkirk in the National Museums of Scotland Date: 1200 years ago The lively image of the tail-biting lion from a 9th century Anglo-Saxon gold finger ring, found on the Minchmuir, is a tiny piece of evidence that indicates the balance of power in this area in the Dark Ages. By the 7th century most of the eastern Borders was incorporated into the Anglian Kingdom of Bernicia and Anglo-Saxon had become the commonly used language. This is why English became the language of southern Scotland rather than Gaelic, the language of the Celts, which remained in the Highlands and Islands.

Linda Kinsman-Blake Ceramicist The Pottery Smailholm KELSO TD5 7PH 01573 460666

Linda Kinsman Blake works in partnership with her husband, Rankin, to create a full range of domestic ware as well as commemorative pieces and large vessels for special occasions. Her painted decoration is spontaneous and dextrous, making her well known for the splendid nudes that adorn some of her pots. Her kist is a full-bellied pot that blends carefully with the environment in which it is placed.