Interlaced birds

This attractive dark-green bookmark has quite a complex design of two birds. Their heads, close to the centre of the bookmark, are turned away from each other. Their necks form a complex interlace inbetween the heads. The wings on their shield-like bodies are grasped by the birds’ beaks. The clawed feet fill the lower corners of the bookmark. A long look is needed to work it all out. 

This, along with other bookmarks, was in a small box donated to the museum by George Bain’s family. We think he, a member of his family, or one of his students made it. The design is very similar to some shown in Bain’s Methods of Construction. It is also similar to some in the Book of Kells.