Monifieth

Monifieth 2 (St Regulus), Angus, cross-slab fragment

Measurements: H 0.46m, W 0.31m, D 0.09m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: NO 4953 3235

Present location: National Museums Scotland (X.IB. 27)

Evidence for discovery: discovered in the foundations of the medieval church when it was demolished in 1812, and built into the wall of the new church. It was given to NMAS in 1871.

Present condition: the top is damaged and is missing one corner, and the bottom edge has been trimmed.

Description

Carved in relief, face A bears a cross outlined by roll moulding with squared terminals and a square centre to the head. The central panel is filled with triangular interlace and the side-arms with knotwork, while the upper and lower arms contain spiral work, and the top of the shaft is filled with key pattern. The background to the cross is plain.

Face C has a wide flat-band moulding along the two vertical edges, which becomes a bird-headed creature in profile on either side at the top, each with a foreleg meeting the tip of its beak, and their heads just touching. Beneath them on the left is a goggle-eyed monster and on the right a beast’s head symbol. A roll moulding separates them from the panel below, which is subdivided vertically by roll moulding. In the left-hand panel is a robed or winged figure with an elaborate hairstyle or a halo, and holding a disc in the left hand. In the right-hand panel is an ornamented crescent symbol with a V-rod behind it.

Date range: eighth or ninth century.

Primary references: Neish 1872, 73; ECMS pt 3, 229-30; Fraser 2008, no 66.2.

Desk-based information cmpiled by A Ritchie 2018