Dull

Dull 1 (St Adomnan), Perthshire, architectural panel

Measurements: H 0.38, W 0.81m, D 0.09m

Stone type: yellow sandstone

Place of discovery: NN 806 492

Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (IB 58)

Evidence for discovery: found in the mid nineteenth century during grave-digging in the kirkyard.

Present condition: trimmed for reuse and the carving is worn.

Description

This belongs to the upper part of a panel carved in false relief, the top edge of which has a plain and narrow flatband border. All the figures and animals face left and appear to consist of horse-borne hunters following behind ranks of foot soldiers. Lower left are four warriors in descending order of height, who are wearing striped tunics with decorated borders and carrying circular shields. The shields have distinct central roundels with pairs of roundels on either side, perhaps denoting the central handgrip. Above them are two shorter figures in billowing robes. The foremost horserider is seated on a saddle cloth and is carrying a spear in his right hand, and the horseman behind, of which only the front portion survives, appears to have been similar. Both horsemen are accompanied by collared hunting dogs.

Date: eighth or ninth century.

References: Stuart 1867, pl 16; ECMS pt 3, 315.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Dull 4 (St Adomnan), Perthshire, cross-slab

Measurements: H 1.55m, W 0.59m

Stone type:

Place of discovery: NN 806 492

Present location: in situ, recumbent in kirkyard.

Evidence for discovery: found in 1989 beneath the turf of the kirkyard by Niall Robertson.

Present condition: weathered.

Description

In the centre of this slightly tapered slab is an incised cross within a circle, beneath which is a deeply incised linear cross with a hollow at its centre.

Date: seventh or eighth century.

References: DES 1989, 64.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Dull 5 (St Adomnan), Perthshire, cross-slab

Measurements: H 1.65m, W 0.49m

Stone type:

Place of discovery: NN 806 492

Present location: in situ, recumbent in kirkyard.

Evidence for discovery: found in 1989 beneath the turf of the kirkyard by Niall Robertson.

Present condition: weathered.

Description

There are faint traces on this slab of a small and simple cross carved in relief.

Date: seventh or eighth century

References: DES 1989.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Dull 6 (St Adomnan), Perthshire, cross-slab

Measurements: H 1.35m, W 0.35m

Stone type:

Place of discovery: NN 806 492

Present location: in situ, recumbent in kirkyard.

Evidence for discovery: found in 1990 beneath the turf of the kirkyard by Niall Robertson.

Present condition: weathered.

Description

This slab is incised with an outline cross with rounded armpits.

Date: seventh or eighth century.

References: DES 1991, 71.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

NN84NW 66 806 492

Two recumbent cross-slabs, probably Early Christian in date, were uncovered in the western half of the upper kirkyard on 22 July 1989. They lay directly under the turf, and one corner of the first described was showing, though the incised design was not visible. Both stones lie E-W.

The first is a slab with rounded irregular sides, 155cm long, incised with a circled cross and an approximately equal-armed cross beside each other. Both carvings are clear, but the plain cross is slightly deeper cut. The ringed cross measures 12.5cm by 12.5cm. The breadth of the slab at this point is 59cm. The other cross measures 19cm by 21cm.

This slab abuts a 19th century headstone inscribed to a John Menzies. The second cross-slab is a few metres south of the first. It is a parallel-sided stone with rough ends measuring 165cm by 49cm. Carved in the middle of the stone, but somewhat towards its west end, is a small cross in relief, very worn, dimensions c21cm by c18cm.

Another carved stone, of uncertain character, is built into the E gable of Dull parish church. It is a flat stone, with rough sides partly hidden by mortar, incised with two shallow parallel lines. This stone's dimensions are approximately 66cm by 18cm. The incised cuts are broad, shallow and rounded and about 10cm apart. The stone forms part of the right jamb of a blocked doorway.

N M Robertson 1989.

A recumbent cross-slab was found lying E-W under the turf in the upper level of the kirkyard, at the point where the path from the lower level enters it, on 4 August 1990. The slab has parallel sides but sloping ends, and is incised at the W end with an outline cross with hollows at the armpits. The stone's dimensions are 135cm by 35cm, while the cross measures 42cm by 29cm.

N M Robertson 1991.