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MHG7140 - Tarbat - Manse Stone

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

This stone was first noticed by the Rev J M Joass built into wall of the manse garden at Tarbat. It is the rectangular portion of an upright cross-slab (?) 1'7" high by 1' wide. It bears an inscription in Hiberno-Saxon capitals of the 8th or 9th century. The letters being in relief instead of incised is a unique feature.
E W R Nicholson has suggested REOTETII as the probable reading of the partially illegible name of the person commemorated and identifies him with the REOTHAIDE or REODAIDE whose death is recorded in 762 in the Annals of Ulster, and in 763 in the Annals of Tigernach. In both, he is called "Ab. Ferna" which, however, is understood to be Ferns in Ireland, and the difficulty of connecting him with Tarbat remains. The stone is listed as Class III, Tarbat no 10.
J R Allen and J Anderson 1903. <1>

The stone is now in the NMAS. (Acc No: IB 286)
Information from NMAS accessions index.

Face 1: shows the apex of a square panel containing
spiral ornament in relief.
Face 2: shows, on a narrow side, the inscription in
relief insular majuscules. Transliteration: IN NOMINE…IHU XRI…CRUX XRI…IN…COMMEMORATIONE…REO…LII…DIE
HAC…
Translation: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THE (a?) CROSS OF CHRIST IN MEMORY OF REO…LIUS. <2>

See link below to the Tarbat Discovery Programme Sculpture Catalogue for further information and drawings of the 38 individual carved stones. <3>

Portmahomack, Tarbat 10 (TR 10), Ross and Cromarty, inscribed cross-slab fragment
Measurements: H 0.47m, 0.31m, D 0.17m
Stone type: yellow sandstone
Place of discovery: NH 9149 8402
Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (X.IB.286)
Evidence for discovery:
Present condition: damaged and very worn.
Description
This fragment comes from a very substantial monument. It is carved in relief on faces A and B, that on face A comprising a corner of a diagonally placed panel, outlined by roll moulding, which contains spiral work. On the relatively wide face B is a carefully carved Latin inscription in raised lettering, the form of which is related to the display scripts of Insular manuscripts (Higgitt 1982). The inscription is funerary and commemorates an individual whose name is partly illegible. Eight intact and a ninth partial line survive, reading ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, the Cross of Christ in memory of Reo[…]lius’.
It has been suggested that this fragment and Tarbat 20 were part of the same large cross-slab, reconstructed in Carver et al 2017 illus 5.3.53, where the inscription is seen as half-way up the side of the slab.
Date range: later eighth century.
Primary references: ECMS pt 3, 94-5; Higgitt 1982; Carver et al 2016, 124, 127, 157, D43.
Early Medieval Carved Stones Project, A Ritchie 2018

Sources/Archives (6)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 9159 8399 (10m by 10m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH98SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	TARBAT

Finds (1)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (3)