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Meigle

Cross Slab (Pictish), Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)

Site Name Meigle

Classification Cross Slab (Pictish), Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)

Alternative Name(s) Meigle Museum; Templehall; Meigle Stones; Meigle No. 5

Canmore ID 30865

Site Number NO24SE 25.05

NGR NO 2872 4459

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/30865

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

  • Council Perth And Kinross
  • Parish Meigle
  • Former Region Tayside
  • Former District Perth And Kinross
  • Former County Perthshire

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project (11 July 2018)

Meigle 5, Perthshire, Pictish cross-slab

Measurements: H 1.08m, W 0.50m, D 0.16m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: NO c 2873 4465

Present location: Meigle Museum.

Evidence for discovery: found in 1858 during the demolition of a kiln about 190m north of the church.

Present condition: one top corner has broken away, but otherwise the carving is in good condition.

Description

This grave-marker tapers slightly towards its triangular tenon, and the top is slightly rounded. It is carved in relief on both broad faces, and narrow face D is incised with two Pictish symbols. Face A is bordered by a wide band of interlace within two roll mouldings, and the cross is also outlined by roll mouldings. An equal-armed cross with closed circular armpits and a square central panel is balanced on a round-topped pedestal base. The lower corners of the base have animal-head terminals, the heads turned inwards to face the cross. There is interlace within the central square panel of the cross, which seems to form a cruciform pattern, and the side-arms are filled with diagonal key pattern. The lower arm is filled with triangular interlace, and the base with encircled interlace. The lower right armpit appears to contain three small bosses. To the left of the upper arm are perhaps two entwined animals, while the lower arm is flanked on the left by a goggle-eyed beast and on the right by a bird attempting to swallow a serpent (unless it is an elongated tongue terminating in a serpent’s head).

Face C is carved with a solitary mounted warrior within a plain frame, but unfortunately the upper part of the rider’s body has flaked away. He is seated on a striped saddle-cloth, and here his shoe is clear against the cloth, and his sword scabbard is visible. The horse is shown in lively pose. Face D is incised with a disc-and-rectangle (‘mirror-case’) above a Pictish beast facing left.

Date: ninth century.

References: ECMS pt 3, 300-1; RCAHMS 1994, 102; Fraser 1997, no 189.4.

Desk-based information compiled by A Ritchie 2018.

Archaeology Notes (1990)

NO24SE 25.5 2872 4459.

This cross-slab, also found during the dismantling of the malt-kiln at Templehall (NO 2874 4467), is carved in high relief on both sides. The slab measures some 0.72m in height, up to 0.52m in breadth and 0.16m in thickness. On the front, within a raised border carved with interlace, there is an equal-armed cross with quadrilobate ring and a square central panel of spiral decoration; the upper part of the cross and the right corner of the slab are worn and broken, and the remainder of the surface of the cross can be seen to have been decorated with key-pattern. The rounded base or pedestal encloses encircled interlace and has voluted angles with beasts' head terminals. In the spaces formed between the cross and the border there are three surviving figures: a beast biting its back; a fabulous beast with large eyes and a curling tail; and a bird swallowing a serpent. A single panel on the back contains a horseman, with the upper part of the figure broken off, within a heavy plain border. The tunic, patterned saddle-cloth, sword and shoe are, however, very distinctly shown. Two symbols have been incised on the right edge - a mirror-case and a 'Pictish beast'. Information from RCAHMS (JNGR) 1990.

Activities

Publication Account (1964)

No. 5 The border of interlace contains an equal-armed cross upon an ornamental base. The arms of the cross are covered with fretwork and key-pattern, the centre with spirals. The angles at the intersections are hollowed. The hollows have each contained a cluster of three small bosses. The base is ornamented with interlace and two animal heads.

The panels of the background are inhabited by a grotesque beast; that on the bottom right is a bird swallowing a serpent.

On the other side of the stone is the lower part of a horseman who wears shoes with pointed heels; reins and saddle-cloth are evident; the horse's tail is cropped. On one of the sides is the mirror symbol and below it the 'elephant'.

S Cruden 1964.

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