Pictish stone

The stone monuments, as the Pictish symbol stones (English or Pictish Sculptured Stones) are designated AD originated in northeast and northern Scotland mainly between the 5th and 9th centuries Currently about 350 stones known, but there are always new discovered, in September 2011, on the Black Isle ..

Pre-Roman period

In Ireland, decorated menhirs were already established in the Iron Age, from Scotland are those monuments from this period, however, unknown. The art of the last millennium BC was confined in Scotland to the decoration of bronze and pottery. Only from the time of the Roman occupation sculptural processed stone in public spaces ( Antonine Wall ) was found. The help thus initiated domestic styles that demarcate the territories of the peoples in early medieval Scotland: the Picts, Scots, Britons and fishing.

Classification

In "The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland " (1903 ) J. Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson classified the stones into three classes. Critics have noted weaknesses in the system, but it is widely used.

• Class 1: unprocessed stones with carved symbols. There are no cross- representations. The stones come from the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries.
• Class 2: Stones with more or less rectangular in shape with a large cross and symbol on one or both sides. The symbols and the Christian motifs are created in relief and the cross with its environment is filled with designs. The stones date from the 8th and 9th centuries.
• Class 3: these stones bear no Pictish symbols. It can be crossed plates, grave stones or freestanding crosses, dating from the 8th or 9th century.

Symbolism

In northern Scotland, the Picts were home. The stones show next few naturalistic depictions ( Battle of Dunnichen Mere ) a variety of motives, including designated the most twisted and occurring today as a double - disc and Z- rod ( Alyth church ), as well as crescent and V- rod as core symbols. About the interpretation of the symbols, many theories have been proposed. You enentuell include statements about political marriage alliances, records of territorial boundaries and monuments for dignitaries, but none of theses is assignable. This is (Angus ) are explored in open air museums such as Aberlemno, (Angus ) and Strathmiglo ( Fife ) and in the museums of Dunrobin, Forfar, Dundee, Inverness and St Vigeans.

Pictish symbols were also found on the cave walls of East Wemyss in Fife. Bulls were inserted into the walls of the castle Headfort the great Pictish hillfort in Moray. The importance of this area, with its ports and the rich hinterland is reflected by a number of symbol stones. Nearby is Covesea, the Cave of the sculptor, named for the carvings on the walls, some of which are Pictish symbols. The placed around the cave entrance symbols include the triple - oval to crescent and V- rod one. The excavations have shown that this large cave at least two phases of activity experienced early in the first millennium BC and one in the early Piktenzeit. The northernmost stone symbol is the wolf -man by Email, found at Cunningsburgh on Shetland. On the Orkney there are 11 stones. Only nine are in the western half of Scotland. Still standing at the road blocks are, for example, Clach Ard on the Isle of Skye and the Maiden Stone at Pitcaple.

Dating

Art historically, it was found that the first symbols are dated to the 6th and 7th centuries (fire Butt, Crichie, Inverurie, Kintore Kirkyard, Picardy Stone and Tullich ). This is supported by a radiocarbon date from the mid-6th century. In the domestic context, a very raw symbol stone was at the pool on the island of Sanday, Orkney, found. The symbols were previously maybe applied to organic materials such as wood and leather. So far no trace of color was found on the stones. Presumably, however, color was used to the designs to emphasize.

In the late 8th and 9th centuries appear in Piktengebiet stones ( Maiden Stone, Migvie ) with Christian motifs next to the symbols. They show that the Picts had found access to Christian iconography. The biblical story of David was a favorite of the representation. On the stone shrine of St. Andrew is designed impressive. Motifs such as Daniel in the lions' den or Paul and Anthony, break the bread in the wilderness, occur as well.

Before they created free-standing crosses, the Picts chose large stone tablets from (cross slabs ), which they decorated in detail in the light of the cross. Although the Pictish symbolism was compatible with Christianity, it was never put on the cross.