Note

Date January 1994

Event ID 1107253

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1107253

RCAHMS National Archaeological Survey: South-east Perth

This cross-slab, which was formerly set on a plinth at the entrance to St Madoes parish church (NO12SE 51), is now in Perth Museum. The stone was recorded first by Skene in 1833, who noted that it had 'fallen over and now lies flat and sunk into the earth', but in 1853 it was set upright in a newly-constructed plinth. Details of the re-erection are given by Allen and Anderson.

The slab, of grey sandstone with pebble intrusions, measures some 1.77m in height above the plinth, 0.89m in width and 0.24m in thickness, and bears relief decoration on the top and on both faces. The slab is surmounted by two beasts in high relief facing one another. On the front there is a ringed cross with a square central panel containing eroded spiral ornament; the rest of the cross is decorated with panels of key-pattern and interlace ornament. In each of the panels above the arms of the cross there is a beast whose head is turned round to allow them to bite its back. There are pairs of beasts on each side of the cross-shaft, the lower beast in each case biting the back of the upper one.

The back of the slab is divided into six panels, the upper three showing single horsemen wearing cloaks with pointed hoods and sitting astride saddle-cloths. The harnesses are carefully indicated; the horsemen are not armed, indeed it is possible that the lowest has a book-satchel, and Allen and Anderson thought they represent ecclesiastics. Below the horsemen, two adjacent panels contain a crescent and V-rod and a double-disc and Z-rod symbols; the roundels at the centre of the double-disc have penannular motifs. At the foot of this face there is a worn 'Pictish beast'.

Information from RCAHMS (IMS) January 1994.

J Skene 1832; J Stuart 1856; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903.