MHG62688 - Pictish symbol stone - St. Martin's Chapel, Ulbster

Summary

A Pictish symbol stone - St. Martin's Chapel, Ulbster

Type and Period (1)

  • INSCRIBED STONE (Pictish - 300 AD to 900 AD)

Protected Status

Full Description

A Pictish symbol stone found in St Martin's burial ground, Ulbster in 2022.

The stone was discovered by F Wade during cleaning and revealing of gravestones within the graveyard of St Martin’s Chapel, Mains of Ulbster (see MHG31351)in September 2022. The stone lies as a grave marker in a row of gravestones on the east side of the C18 Sinclair mausoleum (see MHG42258) which stands at the centre of the graveyard. A previous find of a Pictish cross-slab (see MHG) occurred in the same graveyard in 1770. The Ulbster cross-slab had been later re-used as a graveslab in the same manner as the present discovery. On the front of the stone are two incised symbols, a double-disc and Z-rod and a mirror. The double-disc the upper of the two symbols is damaged with the lower part of the Z-rod missing. The upper part of the Z-rod has a very well formed termination, in the form of an elaborate ‘U’. The handle of the mirror is deeply incised, but the face of the mirror is only traceable in certain lights. Other symbols (and perhaps a comb) could have been present on parts of the stone now delaminated. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred ND 3358 4185 (5m by 5m)
Map sheet ND34SW
Civil Parish WICK
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

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