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Leac An Duine Choir

Cross Incised Stone (Early Medieval)

Site Name Leac An Duine Choir

Classification Cross Incised Stone (Early Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) Barrackan

Canmore ID 22569

Site Number NM70SE 18

NGR NM 7787 0386

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/22569

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

  • Council Argyll And Bute
  • Parish Craignish
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Argyll And Bute
  • Former County Argyll

Archaeology Notes

NM70SE 18 7787 0386.

(Name: NM 7775 0383) Leac an Duine Choir (NAT)

OS 6" map, Argyllshire, 2nd ed., (1900)

This name, meaning "Tombstone of the Just Man", is applied to an "ancient grave" according to the Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB 1872).

Campbell and Sandeman (1964) records a low mound, 12' x 8', with slight traces of a kerb, NW of Barrachan farm, near a track, with a flat stone called the "Priest's Stone" by Argyll County Council, lying on it (? fallen). It measures 5'6" x 1'6" x 4", with a pecked design resembling two B's back to back with a curving ring originating from the spine of one to surround both. This measures 1'2" x 1'6", while, above and below it are two equal-armed incised crosses, 7" x 7" and 6" x 6".

M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964; Name Book 1872; Argyll County Council 1914.

Activities

Field Visit (13 October 1971)

The cross-incised slab described above was located at NM 7787 0386, lying on a low, probably natural, mound slightly larger than the slab. The name could not be confirmed.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 13 October 1971.

Reference (1977)

Described and illustrated by Morris.

R W B Morris 1977.

Field Visit (June 1986)

This stone, the 'stone of the just man', lies beside a track at the E side of a pasture-field, 220m NW of Barrackan farmhouse. It was described in 1872 as marking an 'ancientgrave' (en.l), but the slight mound on which it lies appears to be of natural origin, and the slab may originally have been set upright.

It is a roughly rectangular slab of local schist, 1.74m by0.49m, which on the left edge has been notched in two places as if to suggest a cruciform outline, although there are no corresponding marks on the other edge. On one face there is incised an irregular flattened circle with a vertical central stem, and in each half there is a mirror-image 'B', the whole forming a crudely cruciform motif perhaps inspired by a ringed cross. Above and below this design there are incised crosslets, the lower one being equal-armed. This stone appears to be of Early Christian origin, although no close parallels for the design are known, but its original context is uncertain. The nearest known ecclesiastical site is at Kilmarie (No. 67), 2.4km to the S.

RCAHMS 1992, visited June 1986

Reference (2001)

'The slab of the just man' lies beside a track 220m NW of Barrackan farmhouse. It measures 1.74m by 0.49m and bears an irregular circle enclosing a vertical stem and two mirror-image 'B's, perhaps inspired by a ringed cross. Above and below this are linear crosses, the lower one equal-armed.

I Fisher 2001.

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