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Description of Stone

Event ID 1010072

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1010072

Craigton , Sutherland, ‘Pictish’ symbol stone

Measurements: H 1.88m, W 0.66m, D 0.46m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: NH 7993 9870

Present location: standing about 200m east of Dunrobin Castle.

Evidence for discovery: according to ECMS the stone ‘stood on the low ground’ at Craigton and was taken to Dunrobin Castle in 1840, but the earlier NSA records that it was ‘dug up’ near the site of the former parish church at Craigton and taken to the Castle in 1834.

Present condition:

Description

This is a curious stone, a natural pillar which is incised with three apparently Pictish symbols: a notched rectangle, a crescent and V-rod and a flower symbol. There are odd features, however, for the very large crescent is upright, has a central handle like a shield and sits on top, rather than beneath, the V-rod. The terminals of the latter are unusual in form, and the flower symbol has just two, rather than three, flowers. Together with the uncertainties over its discovery, these oddities suggest that it must be considered uncertain whether the symbols are Pictish or whether they are an antiquarian forgery.

Date: uncertain.

References: NSA vol 15, 34; ECMS pt 3, 41; Fraser 2008, no 137.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

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