Halloween is commonly related to dying and the supernatural. The origins of the vacation we now affiliate with pumpkin carving (a neep when you’re conventional!) and guising will be traced again to the Celtic pagan competition of ‘Samhain’, a three-day celebration marking the top of harvest season and starting of the darker half of the yr. Throughout this time folks believed that the veil between the bodily world and the spirit world broke down… So what higher time of yr to discover a few of the historic gravestones cared for by our Collections Staff?
People have been marking graves for hundreds of years. A few of Scotland’s earliest recognized burial websites are the monumental Neolithic chambered cairns, which housed a number of our bodies directly. The usage of related monumental graves equivalent to barrows and cairns continued in to the Pictish interval.
Clava Cairns is a posh monument which includes a part of one, if not two, Bronze Age cemeteries.
Nevertheless all through most of prehistory, nearly all of burials went unmarked, or the grave markers haven’t survived. There are a small variety of Roman gravestones recognized from Scotland but it surely wasn’t till the 700s that particular person memorials grew to become extra frequent. Like most issues in life, the design of gravestones have gone by means of many alternative developments. Learn on to be taught extra about a few of the differing kinds in our assortment…
The Latinus Stone
This grave marker is Scotland’s oldest surviving Christian memorial, relationship to round 450AD. It’s from Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. The crudely carved Roman inscription reveals that the stone was commissioned by Latinus and his younger daughter. The design features a ‘Chi-Ro’ – an early image for Christ first used in the course of the reign of the Emperor Constantine (c.280AD – 337), whose conversion to Christianity was a key level within the historical past of the Roman Empire. The stone was later reused as a constructing materials for the partitions of Whithorn Priory earlier than being rediscovered in 1890. Whithorn Priory isn’t open to the general public proper now. Discover out extra about our excessive degree masonry venture.
This small stone is from Iona Abbey. The Isle of Iona performed an necessary function within the historical past of Christianity in Scotland. St Columba is believed to have travelled from Eire with 12 companions and based a monastery right here in AD563. The stone is believed to have been carved within the early 600s, quickly after the dying of Columba. An inscription studying ‘LAPIS ECHODI’ (the stone of Echoid) is carved alongside the higher fringe of the stone. That is in all probability the title of the individual whose grave the stone marked. Might this have been Echodi, King of Dal Riáta, who died in 629? Or the monk Echodi, one in every of Columba’s unique 12 followers?
The St Andrews Sarcophagus
Arguably one of many best items of sculpture from early-medieval Europe, the precise perform of the St Andrews Sarcophagus continues to be debated amongst specialists. Courting to the 700s, the piece is comprised of six sandstone panels that slot collectively. Many consider it to be a Pictish royal sarcophagus (stone coffin) or shrine. ‘Picts’ is the overall title used to explain the completely different teams of people that lived north of the Firth of Forth within the first millennium AD. They’d a definite fashion of art work, a few of which is included on the sarcophagus, equivalent to looking scenes and fictional animals. The St Andrews Sarcophagus will be seen on the St Andrews Cathedral museum.
Hogback Stone
Hogback stones originated in Viking England (AD 900s – 1100S) and later unfold to Scotland. Their title pertains to their distinct form, which appears just like the again of a pig or hog, nevertheless it’s thought that they had been initially created to resemble Viking long-houses.
This instance is from Inchcolm Abbey, discovered on the island of Inchcolm within the Firth of Forth. The stone is carved with a roof tile sample and animal decorations, each generally discovered on these kind of stone. Traces of a cross will also be seen carved into one facet, suggesting ties with Christianity. Written data from the 1500s describe the hogback as soon as sitting alongside a stone cross in an space of the island used for burials.
The Poltalloch Enclosure
Located in Kilmartin churchyard, the Poltalloch Enclosure was constructed within the 1700s because the resting place of the Malcolm household who lived at close by Poltalloch Home. The enclosure homes seven graveslabs. Amongst these are three medieval ‘West Highland’ fashion stones. These have a tapered form with intricate scrollwork, interlace designs and carved figures. There are additionally two medieval effigies of warriors wielding spears and swords.
Poltalloch Enclosure, Kilmartin Churchyard by Historic Surroundings Scotland on Sketchfab
None of those stones are thought to now be of their unique location. All however one in every of them has the title ‘Poltalloch’ carved on them, suggesting they had been reused within the 1700s or 1800s.
A lot of the Poltalloch stones are carved in a method frequent to this space of Argyll, with the stone in all probability introduced from quarries round Loch Awe.
Effigy of Bishop Archibald
This effigy from Elgin Cathedral is believed to point out Archibald, who was Bishop of Moray in 1270 when a devastating fireplace tore by means of the cathedral. Archibald used this occasion as a chance to enlarge and improve the positioning. Traces of paint stay on the effigy so we all know it could as soon as have been brightly colored. In 2016 Edinburgh Napier College developed a lighting present that provides us a glimpse of what the stone might have regarded like when freshly painted.
Publish Reformation Tomb Slabs
St Andrews Cathedral is residence to quite a few massive tomb slabs that date to the interval after the Scottish Reformation of 1560. A lot of the gathering was carved within the 1600s and the names of these commemorated are nonetheless seen on most. These people would have been rich and necessary folks from the city. Many of those gravestones embrace designs that present emblems of mortality. These embrace skeletons (the personification of dying) and hour glasses (indicating the passing of time). The Latin phrase Memento Mori (‘keep in mind that you need to die’) additionally ceaselessly seems. The aim of those was to remind folks of the significance of a very good life and dying.
Tomb slab of Helen Regulation, from St Andrews Cathedral.
The Faichney Monument
The tiny chapel at Innerpeffray close to Crieff, Perthshire, is residence to one of the vital astounding and poignant gravestones in Scotland.
The outstanding Faichney monument was carved by mason John Faichney in 1707 after the dying of his spouse. Particular person carvings of ten of their youngsters flank a coat of arms, which is situated beneath a big depiction of the couple.
Discover our collections
If you happen to’ve loved this tour of the gravestones in our care, why not uncover extra fascinating tales from our collections on the weblog.
