#Celtic Stone

[scotianostra]

St Madoe's Stone , Perth Museum.

The most complete of all the pictish/Celtic stoones I saw on display on Monday, this was found lying down in St Madoes Churchyard, Perthshire during 1830's. . In the 1920s it was moved, in its base, to stand against the wall beside the church door. In the 1990s it was taken to Perth Museum & Art Gallery.

One side, as seen in my gif, is dominated by the ring-headed cross that fills what we can accept as the front of the slab. It is surrounded by biting dogs and with two lion-like creatures facing each other across the top of the stone.

The other side of the slab shows three cloaked and hooded riders, probably churchmen (possibly a reference to the road and its users between St Andrews and Scone) and below them three Pictish symbols: a crescent and v-rod, a double-disc and z-rod and a Pictish beast. The symbols are much worn due to exposure to the elements when it stood in thechurchyard.

In the first thousand years AD, the country we now call Scotland was dominated by changing groups of Celtic peoples, most notably the Picts. From AD 250-900, they controlled most of Scotland north of the River Forth. We do not know what they called themselves. The Picts – meaning “the painted ones” – is the name the Romans gave them. Their language has disappeared and no Pictish manuscripts are known to have survived. But their art does survive on over 300 pieces of carved stonework and a much smaller number of portable objects such as jewellery.

There at least 17 sites around the Perth area, they include Stone Circles, a Pictish Free-Standing Cross, Pictish Symbol Stones and stones with cup marks, cup and ring marks are by far the most common motif, if you remember, or have ever inspected the Caiy Stone, at Oxgangs, which I visited and posted pics of last year, there are 6 of thes type of marks on this stone.

Perth Museum has several fragments of smaller stones which I shall post at a later time.

[tomoleary]

Mike Ploog (pencils) and Dan Green (inks) “Celtic Stone” The Spirit #31 title page (2009) Source

[zek-is-alive]

A piece I made, trying a new style:)

[fmstonecarving]

New to Tumblr, going to start dumping some of the stone carving that I've done here.

This big slate carving is based on a design from the Book of Kells, all hand carved with hammer and chisels.

[thesilicontribesman]

Iron Age Netherurd Gold Torc Terminal, 1st Century BCE, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh

This terminal for a gold neck ring and two gold coins are all that remain of a large hoard of gold coins and neck rings found at Netherurd in Peeblesshire. The coins were minted in Gaul in the 1st century BCE, while the terminal fragment is an East Anglian type.

[blueiscoool]

Stone With 1,600-Year-Old Irish Inscription Found in English Garden

A geography teacher, Graham Senior, stumbled across a rock with mysterious incisions while tidying his overgrown garden in Coventry, England. The discovery of a small stone carved with an early form of Celtic script has caused excitement among archaeologists.

The rectangular sandstone rock was found by Graham Senior in Coventry during lockdown in 2020 while he was weeding, but its true value was only recently understood.

The 11-centimeter-long and 139-gram rectangular sandstone rock had cryptic inscriptions on it that suggested a history spanning over 1,600 years, all written in the mysterious Ogham alphabet.

Ogham is an early medieval alphabet used to write the Archaic Irish language from the 4th to the 6th century and Old Irish from the 6th to the 9th century. It is usually found carved on stones in Ireland, Wales, and western Britain. It was the first written language in Ireland. The majority of the 400 or so known inscriptions from the Archaic Irish period are family name pillars that were built to announce land ownership.

Ogham is an extremely unique writing system among all writing systems, with lines arranged in groups of one to five only. The stones provide insight into the Irish language before the use of the Latin insular script.

Finds liaison officer for the Birmingham Museums Trust, Teresa Gilmore, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the discovery on an Ogham stone in the English midlands was a rare find.

“These finds do not turn up in the midlands. The bulk of Ogham inscriptions are found over in Ireland,” she said.

Professor Katherine Forsyth of Celtic Studies at the University of Glasgow conducted additional research that shed more light on the stone’s provenance. Her findings point to a period suggesting a timeframe ranging from the fifth to sixth centuries, with the possibility of an even earlier date in the fourth century.

The stone is inscribed on three of its four sides. The inscription on the stone, “Maldumcail/S/ Lass,” puzzled researchers, with interpretations pointing towards a version of the personal name Mael Dumcail, but the meaning of the S and LASS is unclear. Given the usual purpose and significance of ogham stones, it may be a location reference.

Theories regarding the origins of the stone abound, with speculations ranging from migration patterns to the presence of early medieval monasteries in the region.

The rock will be displayed at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, to which Senior has donated it permanently. It will feature in the forthcoming Collecting Coventry exhibition, which opens on 11 May.

By Oguz Kayra.

[birdsofrhiannon]

[hometoursandotherstuff]

[greenpanda-basicfakewitch]

"Hag Stones."

A Stone with a hole in it's center, or as the Celtics reffered to it as a "Hag Stone." A seeing stone.

Seen in popular media such as "Coraline." and "Spiderwick chronicles."

In Coraline it was used to find 'Lost' things, helping Coraline find the three missing ghost eyes to beat the other mothers game. But when first told Miss Spink and Forcible and two differing opinions. "It's good for BAD things." > April "It's good for LOST thing." > Miriume.

"In Spiderwick chronicles, it was a tool used to help a human see Fearies. Because only people with the sight or allowed to see the Fea can see them while most of the time they remain hidden. Only a "Seeing stone." Can help someone see the Fea clearly.

But thats in Fictional Media, what about real Hag Stones and their superstitions in real life?

"Celtic in origin. Referred as Hag Stones. Also known as Holey Stones or Witch Stones, are stones that have naturally occurring holes and usually found near oceans or other bodies of water. They are said to be powerful protection tailismans and when worn or carried they protect the bearer from curses, hexes negative spirits and harm. They have also been used to prevent nightmares, being strung on a bedpost or placed underneath pillows. It is also believed that if you peer through the hole of the stone that you can see the Fae Folk and otherworldly entities. If one broke, it is thought to have used its power to protect life.

*With that last addition, it makes sense on why this was used in media such as Spiderwick Chronicles and Coraline from it's tie to the Fea and other supernatural entities.

[ogmerlanian]

King Arthur in all his finery 👑🏰🗡️

(Please give credit if you repost ❤️)

[hauntingsoffuturespast]

Standing Stones.

[stairnaheireann]

The Turoe Stone

The Turoe Stone sculpture is a masterpiece of Irish Iron Age art and normally stands in the village of Bullaun near Loughrea, Co Galway. It had been moved in the 1850s from its original location near the Rath of Feerwore, an Iron Age ring-fort structure, at nearby Kiltullagh. The stone is currently off site and in the hands of the Office of Public Works for essential remedial work and unavailable…

[kereonn]

The Black Stones

The Black Stones ☆ Visions of this life and other worlds☆ Dark nature, nature and fairies lands, wonderful dreams of forest's and landscapes, myths and legends of Brittany and elsewhere between spirituality and occultism, death and life...

[thesilicontribesman]

Ancient Inscribed Stone (Beasts and Knotwork), Kilmartin Museum, Kilmartin Glen, Argyll, Scotland

[lailoken]

Traditional Protection Amulet

On a total whim, I was moved to make a traditional Celtic protection amulet using a Hagstone and a vintage Skeleton Key. I waxed and braided three lengths of twine that I had dyed myself using Madder Root and Dragon's Blood, working a protective prayer into the braid, which was then sealed with a charmed knot.

I'm selling this piece for only $18, so reach out soon if you'd like to purchase it! This piece is sold, but if multiple people show interest in this amulet, I will make and sell more like it. In the meantime, feel free to reach out and request one, and I will craft it on your behalf for the same price.

[birdsofrhiannon]

Pictish symbol stone. Aberlemno, Scotland. Seahorse motif Photograph by David Lyons