Broch Of Gurness, Aikerness, Pictish Symbol Stone
Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)
Site Name Broch Of Gurness, Aikerness, Pictish Symbol Stone
Classification Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)
Alternative Name(s) Point Of Helia; Sands Of Evie
Canmore ID 2202
Site Number HY32NE 5.01
NGR HY 381 268
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2202
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Evie And Rendall
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
Gurness 1, Broch of Gurness, Orkney, Pictish symbol stone
Measurements: H 0.39m, W 0.53m, D 0.29m
Stone type: sandstone
Place of discovery: HY 3817 2685
Present location: Broch of Gurness site museum
Evidence for discovery: found during excavations in 1935, on top of a wall in a building flanking the pathway leading to the broch.
Present condition: good.
Description
This is a rough building block and the symbols are very lightly incised on a broad flat surface: a rectangle, a disc with indented rectangle and an indented rectangle.
Date: sixth or seventh century.
References: Clouston 1937; Ritchie, J N G 1969; Hedges 1987, vol ii, 85, 125, 218; Fraser 2008, no 165; Scott & Ritchie 2015, no 8.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
HY32NE 5.01 381 268
See also:
HY32NE 5.00 HY 3818 2685 Broch; Viking Settlement; Ogams
Class I symbol stone.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
This stone found in the excavation of the broch in 1935 is now in the site-museum; it measures 0.27m by 0.19m and 0.29m thick and bears two rectangular symbols and a circular disc and rectangle with square indentation. The stone was found on the wall between broch buildings 3 and 4 at a height of 0.7m from floor level (additional information kindly provided by J W Hedges).
RCAHMS 1985
