Description of stone
Event ID 1010137
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Early Medieval Carved Stones Project
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1010137
Lothbeg, Sutherland, cross-slab fragment
Measurements: H 0.48m, W 0.31m, D 0.14m
Stone type: purple sandstone
Place of discovery: BC 9525 0993
Present location: Dunrobin Museum, Dunrobin Castle.
Evidence for discovery: found in 1869 during the construction of the railway cutting west of Lothbeg station, on the east side of the Loth Burn a short distance from the seashore.
Present condition: broken and worn.
Description
This fragment belongs to one side of the slab and exhibits three carved faces, all worked in relief. Each of the broad faces bears the terminal of the side-arm of a cross, while the narrow face bears triangular interlace pattern, and the slab had a narrow plain flatband moulding along each edge. One of the crosses has a ring, and this is likely to be face A, in which case the fragment comes from the right-hand edge of the slab. Enough survives to show that the cross is edged with a roll moulding, the side-arm terminal is rectangular and the centre has a square, making stepped armpits. The side arm contains key pattern, the ring is ornamented with cable work and a triquetra fills the space between ring and armpit. There are also traces of knotwork above the side arm face. Face C bears a rectangular left-hand side arm outlined with roll moulding and infilled with interlace. The rounded arm pit contains a small boss, and there are traces of interlace below the side arm.
Date: ninth or tenth century.
References: ECMS pt 3, 54.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
