EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

IT is a remarkable fact that numerous hieroglyphics, graven on conspicuous monuments in many of the most fertile parts of Scotland, should only lately have attracted special notice. Many such monuments known to have existed are no longer to be found. Some have been destroyed, and accurate delineations of the remaining "sculptured stones of Scotland" are only to be seen in folios published within the last twenty years-exclusively for two societies with a limited number of members-viz. "The Bannatyne" and "The Spalding" Clubs.2

The volume of the Spalding Club, edited by Mr. John Stuart, has been taken as the basis of the present work, in so far as it refers to the hieroglyphical figures on "the sculptured stones of Scotland." The Roman numerals attached to each figure of the hieroglyphics or emblems give the means of reference to the plates and descriptions in The Sculptured Stones of Scotland, published by the Spalding Club.

The notices and plates of a few of these sculptures, as given by Gordon, Cordiner, Pinkerton, etc., are not sufficiently accurate to be of much value.

2 To the intelligence and liberality of the late Mr. Patrick Chalmers of Auldbar is owing the first of these works-viz. an elephant folio of plates and letterpress descriptive of the sculptured monuments of Forfarshire. This work was edited by Mr. Chalmers in 1846. The second of the works referred to was edited by Mr. John Stuart, for the Spalding Club, in 1856. It is in folio, and contains accurate plates of all the most ancient sculptured monuments of Scotland then known. Others, however, have since been discovered,

which, but for these publications, would probably at no remote period have disappeared, or have remained neglected and unnoticed. These are now in course of publication in a second volume of The Sculptured Stones of Scotland, and will, like the first volume, have the valuable addition of an introduction and notices of the plates by the same editor, Mr. John Stuart, now secretary to the Scottish Society of Antiquaries.

The plates in the present work, mostly from drawings by the author, are executed by the same artist, Mr. Gibb, who had so accurately copied and delineated the sculptures for the work of the Spalding Club.

VOLUME I.

FRONTISPIECE. View of Avebury, from a drawing by the Author, made in 1856. For Plans of Avebury see Plates VIII. XVII. XVIII. and Index-" Avebury."

TITLE-PAGE. View of Silbury. The great artificial mount which forms part of the General Plan of Avebury. See Index"Avebury" and "Silbury."

PLATES I. II. III. IV. and V. These five plates contain examples of the most remarkable figures that appear sculptured on rude stone monuments scattered over the eastern and northern districts of Scotland. With few and unimportant exceptions, monuments with these figures are confined to the country which was occupied by the Celtic tribes called Cruithne-the Picts of the classical authors and early Scottish history. On the eastern and northern lowlands of Scotland, from the Forth to the Orkney Islands, these sculptures are found, but in greatest numbers within the districts between the rivers Dee and Spey.

These figures are in this work considered as pagan symbols --for there is every reason to conclude that the most important of them originated and were in use before the introduction of a Christianity which tolerated many pagan devices. In a material form this fact appears in these sculptures where the heathen emblems are seen in combination with the cross. In some monuments the cross is on one side, and the emblems are on the other side of the stone; but more frequently the cross is surrounded, and in some cases surmounted, by heathen symbols.1

For the sake of brevity, the sculptures of which the cross forms an original part of the design are, in these descriptions, termed Christian, the others are called heathen; as also are the figures found on the opposite side of the stone from a cross. The sculptures where there are no crosses are generally graven

1 As in Plates XLVII. and CVI. of Sculptured Stones of Scotland, Spalding Club.

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

XV

on rude upright stones and boulders which show no signs of the mason's art except these sculptures.

Plate I. (III.) The Double Disc. This figure is most common on rude boulders or unhewn stones, but also appears in sculptures along with the cross.1 See pp. 397-402.

(III.) Double Disc and Sceptre. This, the most common of the Caledonian hieroglyphics, is found in many sculptures, both heathen and Christian. See Plates XLVIII. LII; see also pp. 397-402.

3

(IV.) The Crescent is found both in heathen and Christian monuments. See Plate L. and pp. 402-407.

(IV.) The Crescent and Sceptre is nearly as common on the sculptured stones as the double disc and sceptre. See also Plate L. and pp. 402-407.

(CXXXVIII. and XVII.) The Mirror or Mirror-Case is very common on rude monuments, and also along with the cross.5 It is difficult to distinguish between the mirror and the mirrorcase. It would seem that their value was equal, and that as emblems they were indiscriminately employed.

(XCII. CXII. XVII. and CXXXVIII.) The Comb and Comb-Cas The same remarks are applicable to these figures as to the mirror and mirror-case. The mirror or mirror-case, and the comb or comb-case, almost invariably appear together in the same sculpture. What is here termed a comb-case has been generally called a book. Although very similar, these figures can be distinguished from each other-the comb-case being generally found along with the mirror, whilst the book is always placed in the hands of ecclesiastics. See Plate LV. and pp. 430-432.

In one of the compartments of an elaborate sculpture (vol. i. Plate XXV. of the Spalding Club work) a hunting-scene is represented, on the uppermost corner of which the mirror and comb-case appear over and in front of the principal figure, as if they were emblems of his tutelary deity. The appearance of

7 heathen, 2 Christian

2 33 heathen, 1 Christian.

33 heathen, 1 Christian.

4

32 heathen, 5 Christian.

25 heathen, 6 Christian.

18 heathen, 2 Christian.

these emblems, where all the figures are men on horseback, is opposed to a common opinion-viz. that the mirror and comb-case were found only on female monuments. In a hunting-scene sculptured on another monument (Spalding Club, vol. i. Plate XLVI.) the double disc and sceptre appear in nearly the same relative position to the principal mounted figure as the mirror and comb in Plate XXV. This gives support to the suggestion that these emblems may represent the tutelary deity of the person over whom they are placed.

(xv. and XIII.) The Fire-Altar. The figures here termed fire-altars are always in the sculptures placed upright. Those with, as well as those without the bird, are only found on heathen monuments, although in connection with the cross there appears a figure, sometimes called the balance, which is probably designed to represent the fire-altar. See Plate LIII. and pp. 402, 417-420.

(CII. and CIX.) The Brooch is found both on Christian and on heathen monuments.

There are figures which, although nearly of the same form as the brooch, are yet without the lines that extend between the two external rings, and are more likely to be a variety of the mirror and mirror-case than of the brooch.

(CXIII.) The Circular Figure on a Stand3 is most common on heathen monuments. See Plate V. and p. 420.

(CXXXVIII. and CVIII.) The Horse-Shoe Arch, although a common emblem on heathen monuments, has not yet been found in any sculpture along with the cross. The arch is always represented upright. See also Plate LIV. and pp. 422

425.

(XXXIX. and CIX.)

The Elephant. This remarkable figure is of common occurrence both on heathen monuments and in sculptures along with the cross. In a cave at East Wemyss the elephant is seen sculptured on the rock in the same design with the goose. See also Plate LI. and pp. 415-417.