Mail Description of stone

Event ID 1017083

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1017083

Mail 1 (St Columba/St Paul), Cunningsburgh, Shetland, rune-inscribed fragment

Measurements: H 1.03m, W 0.16m, D 0.19m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: HU 4330 2790

Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (X.IB.103).

Evidence for discovery: found in 1877 re-used in the churchyard wall at Mail.

Present condition: worn.

Description

The narrow face of the slab bears clear runic letters, forming part of a memorial inscription: ‘in memory of his/her father, Thorbjorn’.

Date: early eleventh century.

References: Barnes & Page 2006, SH 3, 126-31; Scott & Ritchie 2009, no 76.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2017