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Rosskeen, 'clach A' Mheirlich'

Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish), Standing Stone (Prehistoric)(Possible)

Site Name Rosskeen, 'clach A' Mheirlich'

Classification Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish), Standing Stone (Prehistoric)(Possible)

Alternative Name(s) Thief's Stone

Canmore ID 13617

Site Number NH66NE 12

NGR NH 68099 69025

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/13617

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Rosskeen
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Rosskeen, Ross and Cromarty, Pictish symbol stone

Measurements: H 1.83m, W 0.46m, D 0.46m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: NH 6810 6902

Present location: in situ in field.

Evidence for discovery: recognised as a symbol stone in the nineteenth century.

Present condition: weathered.

Description

This is a substantial pillar stone with incised symbols on two adjacent faces: on one the step symbol and on the other there are traces of a crescent above a pair of pincers.

Date: seventh century.

References: ECMS pt 3, 61; Fraser 2008, no 127.

Desk-based information compiled by A Ritchie 2017.

Archaeology Notes

NH66NE 12 6810 6902.

(NH 6810 6902) Clach a' Mhearlich (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1959)

Clach a' Mheirlich, or the "Thief's Stone" is a Class I (ie. probably 7th -9th century) symbol stone.

It is a sandstone pillar, 6ft x 1ft 6ins square, bearing on the front a 'step' symbol and on the left side what appears to be traces of a crescent symbol with, below, what could be either a pair of pincers or a 'tuning fork' symbol. Clach a' Mheirlich (ONB 1874).

Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB) 1874; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903.

Clach a' Mheirlich is as described and illustrated by Allen (1903).

Visited by OS (N K B) 23 March 1966.

Class I symbol stone.A step is carved on the east face,with a crescent above a pair of pincers on the south face

A.Mack 1997 p.118

Pictish Class I symbol stone - seen, badly eroded - little carving was visible.

CFA/MORA Coastal Assessment Survey 1998.

Activities

Note (18 November 1965)

NH66NE 12 6810 6902.

(NH 6810 6902) Clach a' Mhearlich (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1959)

Clach a' Mheirlich, or the "Thief's Stone" is a Class I (ie. probably 7th -9th century) symbol stone.

It is a sandstone pillar, 6ft x 1ft 6ins square, bearing on the front a 'step' symbol and on the left side what appears to be traces of a crescent symbol with, below, what could be either a pair of pincers or a 'tuning fork' symbol. Clach a' Mheirlich (ONB 1874). Scheduled (AMs Scot 1961, 37).

Information from OS (ES) 18 November 1965

(Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB) 1874; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903).

Field Visit (23 March 1966)

NH66NE 12 6810 6902.

Clach a' Mheirlich is as described and illustrated by Allen (1903).

Visited by OS (N K B) 23 March 1966.

Field Visit (September 1978)

Clach a' Mheirlich, Rosskeen NH 681 690 NH66NE 12

This Class I 'Pictish' symbol stone stands 1.8m high. Traces of incised step, crescent and, possibly, tongs or tuning fork symbols are visible.

RCAHMS 1979, visited September 1978

(Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 61)

Photographic Survey (28 June 2007)

References

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