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Pictish Stone
Pictish Stone
Pictish Stone

Pictish Stone

Date6th-9th Century
Object NameStone
Mediumstone
ClassificationsArchaeology Collected
DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 1225 × 740 × 420mm, 800kg
AcquisitionPurchased in 2019 through Treasure Trove with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS095578
About MeThis Class 1 Pictish symbol stone was discovered in the River Don during the summer of 2018 when the river levels had dropped due to dry weather. It had been used as a perch by fishermen.

There are symbols carved onto one face of the stone. There are no visible symbols on the sides or the back of the stone, however it is waterworn therefore traces of other symbols is possible. The visible symbols are as follows:
- A possible shield/book cover symbol at the top centre of the stone. There is a visible rectangular shape possibly with a vertical line and circle. At the bottom of the rectangle there are two swirl shapes.
- A triple disc and cross bar on the left side of the face. This is the most visible and complete looking of the symbols.
- A potential mirror on the right of the triple disc and cross bar. This symbol has suffered some damage but there is a visible incised circle with a potential, smaller circle below it. There is also a diagonal line through the upper circle, though this could be damage rather than intentional.
- Bottom left of the triple disc and cross bar, there is a rectangular feature which is much smaller than the symbol at the top of the stone. There are several visible lines vertical to the symbol, though they are faint. This is possibly a comb symbol.

The above identifications are preliminary and, due to the wear on the stone, there is some uncertainty. The stone itself is broken and has a large crack through the centre, obscuring some of the symbols.