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Shaltigoe Rock, Wick

Altar (Early Medieval)

Site Name Shaltigoe Rock, Wick

Classification Altar (Early Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) Wic 174

Canmore ID 9141

Site Number ND35SE 12

NGR ND 370 503

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9141

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Wick
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Caithness
  • Former County Caithness

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Wick, Caithness, portable altar

Measurements: H 113mm, W 99mm, D 60mm

Stone type: fine-grained sandstone

Place of discovery: ND c 368505

Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (KG 91)

Evidence for discovery: found during dredging operations near Shaltigeo on the S side of the Bay of Wick and presented to the museum in 1918.

Present condition: water-worn.

Description

This small portable altar is incised with five small equal-armed crosses, one at each corner and a central cross with barred terminals and a partially double outline.

Date range: late seventh or eighth century.

References: PSAS 53 (1918-19), 10-11; Thomas 1971, 194-5; Scott & Ritchie 2014, 192, 200.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Archaeology Notes

ND35SE 12 370 503.

A 'super altar of close-grained sandstone, measuring superficially 4 1/2 by 3 3/4ins and 1 1/16ins thick, bearing incised at the centre a cross with the arms expanded at the ends, formed by a single deeply incised line for the upper and lower arms, and by double lines for the side arms, and a small incised cross in each angle. The central cross measures 1 3/4 by 1 1/4ins. The stone is much worn, and all the angles are rounded off. It was recovered in dredging operations near Shaltigoe (Shaltigoe Rock: ND 370 503) on the S side of the Bay of Wick.' It was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1918 by Mr John Dunnet, 6 Grant St., Wick. (Accession no: KG 91)

Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1919.

An early portable altar, probably late 7th or 8th century in date.

Activities

Field Visit (21 April 1964)

A replica of this altar is in Wick Museum. The accompanying card states that it has been attributed to the 15th century.

Visited by OS (W D J) 21 April 1964.

Reference (1971)

A C Thomas 1971.

Field Visit (18 August 1982)

The replica of the altar could not be traced in Wick Museum.

Visited by OS (J B) 18 August 1982.

References

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