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MHG29571 - Cross-slab fragment, Rosemarkie No 17 - Tigh an Aigh, Rosemarkie

Summary

Small fragment carved in relief on one face and across two edges. The sculpted edges are interpreted as part of the side and top of the Rosemarkie cross -slab (Rosemarkie 1 - see MHG8831). The apparently leaf-shaped motif carved in shallow relief on the main face is seen as one end of a V-rod symbol. Discovered in a rockery in High Street, Rosemarkie in 1998.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Two small fragments of sculptured Pictish? Stones were discovered by Hugh S. Fearn, in rockery of Tigh an Aigh.
This find adds to the evidence already known regarding the Pictish settlement site at Rosemarkie.
The smaller fragment appears to show the left hand terminal of a V rod. Measurement of the border both on the front face and edge correspond with the top left-hand corner of the large cross-slab at the museum. In addition, visually, the sandstone type and colour matches. Recent closer inspection of the top edge of the museum cross-slab shows that when the top was broken and was lost it is likely to have disintegrated into small pieces. This fragment may be one of these pieces.
Groam House Museum, Susan E. Seright.
See assoc. docs. File.
J Aitken : 05/02/01.`

Listed under TT 18/94 in the TT database. <1>

Rosemarkie 17; This fragment was found in a rockery in High Street, Rosemarkie in 1994. Prior to the building of a new manse in Rosemarkie in 1756, the minister lived in a property on this site. It would have been appropriate for the local grave-digger to present the minister with any 'antiquity' found and this may account for the four fragments from this location recently discovered. The fragment is carved on three faces. The principal carving consists of a corner of a design contained within a border. The border on the longer edge is complete in breadth and measures 35 mm. A gouge within the border creates a narrower border that frames the design. There are traces of a similar arrangement on the damaged edge suggesting that the fragment is the top corner of a slab. On the dressed, narrow, edge are traces of a border and lines suggestive of the corner of a panel. The carving consists of a leaf-shaped motif. It has a central furrow, a circular depression at the apex and a rectangular recession at the base. Each corner of the rectangular recession is rounded by a single tooling mark. <2>

Note; Precise find spot not known so indicative find area only (T.Blackie 3/3/2021).

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7361 5760 (6m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH75NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	ROSEMARKIE

Finds (1)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

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