SAVE THE ABERLEMNO STONE

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/aberlemnostone

Help Conserve and Re-Display a Newly Discovered Pictish Symbol Stone from Aberlemno, Angus, Scotland

In February 2022 a newly discovered Pictish Symbol Stone was uncovered and removed for conservation from Aberlemno, Angus. A team from the University of Aberdeen came upon the stone buried in a field while conducting surveys to try and build a greater understanding of the important Pictish landscape of Aberlemno, near Forfar. Aberlemno is already well known for its Pictish heritage thanks to it’s collection of unique Pictish standing stones the most famous of which, is a cross-slab that may depict scenes from a battle of vital importance to the creation of what would become Scotland - the Battle of Nechtansmere when the Picts defeated the Northumbrians allowing a powerful Pictish overkingdom to be established.

The archaeologists were conducting geophysics surveys of the ground early in 2021 in the village of Aberlemno in an effort to better understand the context and history of the existing stones. Deploying imaging equipment, they found anomalies which looked like evidence of a settlement. A small test pit was dug to try and establish whether the remains of any buildings might be present but to their surprise, the archaeologists came straight down onto a carved Pictish symbol stone, one of only around 200 known. The stone was part of the paving of a monumental building dating to the 11th-12th century AD. Under the building are settlement deposits that may date back to the Pictish period. The team returned in February 2022 to investigate further and to lift the stone for vital conservation work.

Now you can help fund the crucial conservation and the subsequent re-display of the stone. The stone has multiple Pictish symbols on it including a mirror, comb, double-disc and Z-Rod, Crescent and V-rod and triple ovals, part of an symbolic system that the Picts may have used to represent the identities of powerful rulers or individuals of status.

The fundraiser will allow conservators to clean, remove biological growth and fill the open joints of one side of the stone where natural bedding plans provide weaknesses that may delaminate over time. The redisplay of the stone will depend on the condition of the stone and which museum or curatorial body takes on the display of the stone, but the Pictish Arts Society and the University of Aberdeen are keen to work with stakeholders to see if the stone could be displayed outdoors and close to its findspot. In addition to conservation, the fundraiser will allow the construction of a support for the stone including bespoke steel fixings for indoor or outdoor display based on estimates of costs from qualified conservators and sculpture specialists.

Fundraising aim:

£30,000.

Angus is acknowledged as one of the key centres of Pictish life in the first millenium, thanks to the relative wealth of archaeological evidence found locally. In particular, a large number of Pictish stones have been found in Angus which are famed for the remarkable quality of their carvings. Meigle and St Vigeans are both home to important collections of Pictish stones, while a cross slab from the village of Aberlemno is considered one of the finest early medieval stone carvings in Europe.

It is also widely believed that the Battle of Dunnichen took place on and around Dunnichen Hill, just outside the Angus village of Letham. This battle is one of the most important dates in Scottish history, as the Pictish victory finally halted Northumbrian expansion in Scotland and created the foundations for Scotland as we know it to eventually form.

The Angus Pictish Trail Guide provides an informative guide to many of the key Pictish sites in Angus. This leaflet can be downloaded here: Pictish Trail Leaflet.

In Aberlemno, there are three roadside stones, two of which bear symbols only, the better one with fine snake, double-disc and z-rod, mirror and comb symbols. The third stone is a Pictish cross slab with a ring cross on the front and a particularly good hunting scene on the back.

The cross-slab in the Kirkyard, one of the finest Dark Age sculptures in Europe, stands on the west side of the church. The front has an impressive cross and the beautiful decoration is heavily inspired by Northumbrian art of the late 7th/early 8th centuries. The reverse has a magnificent battle scene which is thought to portray the battle of Dun Nechtan or Nectansmere of 685 AD when Brude MacBeli defeated the Northumbrian King Ecgfrith and his army.

The slab ably depicts Pictish and Northumbrian cavalry, Pictish infantry and a dying Northumbrian being pecked by a Raven.

For further information on the stones have a look at this site Undiscovered Scotland

Aberlemno Project Concept Proposal

The story in the stone depicts Egfrith, King of Northumbria, who arrogantly led an army to stamp his authority on the province of the Picts.

It's said the Picts feigned retreat and lured the King into narrow mountain passes where he was killed with the greater part of his forces. Almost all the English army were killed and the remnants forced to flee from Pictish territory.

The nuances of the carvings provide a more intimate detail of the fate of Egfrith and his men...............for more details on the stone please visit Historic Scotland.

The story of the stones

When Pictavia sadly closed its doors for the last time in October 2014, it became apparent there was no home for the replica stones.

To save the stones being scatted to the four winds, Aberlemno community contacted Angus Council to offer a new home for the stones.

We have now installed the replica battle stone in the car park of the village hall.

The good news is the stone will be uncovered all year round so that visitors to the stones can still see a full size replica of a stone after the real stones have been covered up for winter. The rear of the hall is currently being refitted to accommodate Pictish interpretation boards etc. along with more replica stones and stone carvings which have been kindly provided by sculptor Andrew McFetters.

For more information Contact us