Dunnichen Stone

The Dunnichen Stone is a class I Pictish symbol stone that was discovered in 1811 at Dunnichen, Angus. It probably dates to the 7th century AD.

The Dunnichen Stone
The Dunnichen Stone
Material	Old Red Sandstone
Height	1.5 metres (4.9 ft)
Symbols	flower double disc and z rod mirror and comb
Created	Seventh Century CE
Discovered	1811
Place	near Dunnichen, Angus, Scotland
Present location	Meffan Institute, Forfar, Angus, Scotland
Coordinates	56.6441°N 2.8891°W / 56.6441; -2.8891
Classification	Type I
Culture	Picto-Scottish

Location

The exact location at which the stone was found is unknown, but thought to be in a field in the East Mains of Dunnichen, on the SE slope of Dunnichen Hill, (grid reference NO51654960), overlooking Dunnichen Moss.^[1] It is currently on display at the Meffan Institute in Forfar (grid reference NO455506).^[2]

History

Andrew Jervise relates the stone was found in a field called the Chashel or Castle Park, and that the site later became a quarry.^[3] While this name is no longer extant, James Headrick records it was in East Mains of Dunnichen,^[4] and the location was later assigned in 1966 at a disused quarry on that farm.^[1]

The discovery was described by Headrick:

... a good many years ago, there was turned up with the plough a large flat stone, on which is cut a rude outline of an armed warrior's head and shoulders^[4]

Jervise, noting the inaccuracy of description, identifies this confidently with the extant Dunnichen Stone.^[3]

The stone was initially erected at the unidentified "Kirkton Church", either in Dunnichen or in Letham, then it was moved to the garden of Dunnichen House. It was relocated to St Vigeans Museum in 1967, then to Dundee Museum (now the McManus Galleries) in 1972.^[5] It is currently on long-term loan to the Meffan Institute in Forfar.^[2]

A replica stands at the Church in Dunnichen.

Description

The stone is of rough sandstone, 1.5 meters (4 foot 8 inches) high, 0.7 meters (2 foot 3 inches) wide and 0.3 meters (1 foot) thick.^[1] It is incised on one face with three symbols: a pictish flower; a double disc and Z-rod; and a mirror and comb. While the double disc and Z-rod and mirror and comb motifs are fairly common and exist together elsewhere (see for example the Aberlemno Serpent Stone) the Flower is relatively rare.