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MHG30013 - Findspot of Dalnavie symbol stone

Summary

A rough Class I Pictish stone, found during ploughing in 2001. Now in Inverness Museum.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Site visit by John Wood, HCAU and Patricia Weeks, Inverness Museum, following report from farmer that he had ploughed up a symbol stone. It is a rough Class 1 stone about 1.2m by 0.35. By 0.04m with Crescent and V-Rod, Mirror and set square symbols.
The provenance is a slight rise in the field, now under barley, about half way between an old sycamore standing in the middle of the field and the track along the side.
Removed to Inverness Museum. <1>

The NGR indicated by Patricia Weeks, Inverness Museum, on map provided is at NH 64679 73984; i.e. E-area of field. Location altered to reflect this. <2>

Reported on in Discovery and Excavation, 2002. It bears three incised symbols, depicting an inverted 'L' - previously described as a set square; a crescent and V-rod; and a mirror and comb. The stone appears to be complete, narrowing at the based where it would have been inserted in the ground. It was found close to the presumed findspots of the Ardross wolf and deer/horse stones, but is clearly in a different stone and by a different hand. <3>

Included in a catalogue of the Pictish Symbol Stones at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, 2010. The surface of the sandstone is heavily eroded. There are three symbols, a step which appears as an inverted L shape, a crescent and V-rod, and a mirror and comb. The inverted L symbol is uncommon, but three Class I examples have been found in the area between the Dornoch and Cromarty Firths. The closest geographical parallel is on the stone from Ardjachie, now on display in Tain & District Museum. <4>

Claimed by Treasure Trove (TT 10/01) and allocated to Inverness Museum. Listed under Acc. No 2002.013 in the Inverness Museum catalogue. <5> <6> <7>

Dalnavie, Ross and Cromarty, Pictish symbol stone
Measurements: H 1.20m, W 0.40m, D 0.85m
Stone type: sandstone
Place of discovery: NH 6473 7414
Present location: Inverness Museum & Art Gallery (INVMG 2002.013)
Evidence for discovery: found during ploughing on Dalnavie Farm in 2002.
Present condition: good.
Description:
A slab that tapers towards the foot, this is incised with a step symbol above a plain crescent and V-rod, with below a large mirror and comb.
Date: seventh century.
References: DES 2002, 77.
Early Medieval Carved Stones Project, Compiled by A Ritchie 2017

Sources/Archives (8)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6467 7398 (6m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH67SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	ROSSKEEN

Finds (1)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

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External Links (1)