Bute mazer facts for kids

The Bute Mazer is a very old and special drinking cup. It's also called the Bannatyne Mazer. People in the Middle Ages used cups like this for big feasts and gatherings. It's the oldest Scottish mazer still around today. It's also one of the most fancy and well-preserved in Britain.

The cup is made of wood with fancy silver and gold decorations. Experts believe the main part was made between 1314 and 1327. This is based on the family symbols (heraldry) on it. The rim and cover were added later, around 1500.

This important cup has a strong link to the Isle of Bute in Scotland. Its other name comes from Ninian Bannatyne. He owned the cup in the 1500s and had his name carved on it. Today, you can see the Bute Mazer at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

The Mazer's Journey Through Time

The Bute Mazer was likely ordered by the FitzGilbert or Gilbertson family. Their family symbols appear on the cup. They were an important family in Scotland at the time.

Some people think King Robert the Bruce might have used this cup. He was King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329. He might have used it at Rothesay Castle on Bute. Rothesay was an important place for Walter Stewart. He was a powerful Scottish noble.

The cup shows the symbols of six important Scottish noble families. Walter Stewart's family symbol is one of them. Three of these families also signed the Declaration of Arbroath. This was a famous letter written in 1320. It declared Scotland's independence from England.

What Does the Bute Mazer Look Like?

The main part of the cup is a bowl made from maple wood. It was shaped on a special machine called a lathe. The base of the cup is made of silver.

Later, around the 1500s, silver straps and a rim were added. This happened when the Bannatyne family owned the cup. A goldsmith in Glasgow named Peter Lymeburner might have done this work.

Inside the bottom of the bowl, there's a metal decoration called a "boss." It has a grinning lion lying down. The lion looks up at you. Six family symbols surround the lion.

The lion was made by pouring metal into a mold (casting). It has red enamel eyes. The rest of the metal plate has designs of mythical creatures called wyverns. It also has five-leaf shapes (cinquefoils) and a strawberry plant. On the outside of the cup, there are six decorated straps. These connect the rim to the foot. They were added during the updates around 1500.

Experts believe the mazer was made in Scotland. It was built to be very strong. The quality of the work is high. The spaces between the family symbols were filled with a special type of enamel. This was a new technique at the time.

The silver rim and the cover, made from whale bone, were added around 1500. These parts are not as fancy as the original cup. They were likely replacements for older parts.

Family Symbols on the Cup

A close-up of the boss with the lion and family symbols

The lion on the cup might represent King Robert the Bruce. However, some people think it's too informal for a king. The six enamelled shields show the symbols of six families. These families supported Robert the Bruce. They are:

• The House of Stewart, represented by Walter Stewart.
• The Douglas family, represented by Sir James Douglas. He was a close friend and commander for Robert the Bruce.
• Walter FitzGilbert, who was an ancestor of the future Dukes of Hamilton.
• John FitzGilbert, who was in charge of Bute. He might have been Walter's brother.
• The Crawford of Loudoun family.
• The Menteith family, which was another branch of the Stewart family.

It's interesting that the Douglas symbol is to the lion's right. This shows Sir James Douglas's important role as Bruce's main commander. The Stewart symbol is between the lion's paws. This is because Walter Stewart married King Robert the Bruce's daughter, Marjorie. Their son later became King Robert II in 1371. He was the first king from the House of Stewart.

Images for kids

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  The Bute Mazer

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  The Bute Mazer's later whale bone cover