TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 199 



Spey. There is one remarkable fact connected with these symbol-stones — viz. at 

 Norries Law in Fife, near a circle of these stones, there was found what is believed to 

 have been a complete set of armour. The symbols upon the stone were found re- 

 peated upon a silver ornament among the relics alluded to. Now, if we could sup- 

 pose that this symbol — the spectacle ornament — indicated the rank of the individual, 

 or had reference to sacred dignity, it would be a great step gained in the elucidation 

 of these sculptures. It has to be observed that the symbols are never found twice 

 repeated in the same order. Mr. Stuart next proceeded to notice the stone crosses, 

 of which there are some very remarkable examples on the west coast — a beautiful 

 one at Oronsay, and another at Kildalton in Islay. Sculptured crosses, which are 

 of a more recent date than the symbols, occur less frequently on the east coast of 

 Scotland — in the district between the Forth and Caithness ; and what is to be re- 

 marked in regard to them is, that while in Aberdeenshire the symbol is common, the 

 cross seems to be less prominent ; when you go to Forfarshire, there are some mag- 

 nificent examples of the cross, and the symbol becomes less conspicuous, and its place 

 seems to be occupied with subjects of quite a different description. The stones pre- 

 sent many instances of priests in their robes with books, and occasionally with re- 

 markable ornaments. At times these have peaked beards and moustaches — men 

 shooting with the bow and arrow — bird-headed human figures — figures in armour on 

 horseback, having the trapping and armour in detail — men devoured by animals — 

 men seated as if in judgment — historical scenes relative to slaughter — processions, in 

 one of which a man leads an ox, and is followed by other men in line — in another 

 several men and oxen, which, in a third, appear about to be sacrificed; and here the 

 men are tonsured and carry candles. The centaur occurs, occasionally dragging 

 branches of trees, and sometimes carrying battle-axes. A chariot and horseman are 

 seen at Meigle. A single specimen of a boat appears on St. Orland's stone ; and 

 there are specimens of monkeys, apes, lions, leopards, deer, and beasts of the chase. 

 The temptation in Paradise occurs at Farnell. There are also inscriptions upon one 

 at least of the sculptured crosses, which, however, appear to resemble the Irish 

 character, although they have not been read to the satisfaction of scholars. In the 

 earliest notice of these stones whicb we have, we find the ancient inhabitants of 

 Scotland thus spoken of by Boece — " They usit the ritis and maneris of Egyptians, 

 fra quhome thay tuk thair first beginning. For all thair social besines, they usit not 

 to writ with common letteris usit amang othir pepil, but erar with sifars and figuris 

 of beistis maid in manner of letteris, sic as thair epithafis and superscriptions abone 

 thair sepulturis schawis; nochtheless this crafty manir of writing, be quhat stenth 

 I can not say, is perist; and yet thay have certane letteris propir amang thaim- 

 self, quhilkis war sem time vulgar and common." Mr. Stuart observed that the sculp- 

 tured crosses of Scotland were distinct from those in Ireland and Wales, &c., the 

 sculptures in Scotland almost invariably representing hunting scenes, &c, while those 

 in Ireland arc drawn from the Bible — as the Temptation, the expulsion from Eden, &c. 

 The symbols of Scotland were mostly unknown elsewhere, nothing similar being found 

 in Britany, Ireland, or Northumberland, while the symbols of the Christian Church are 

 not local but general, and universally understood. And if the Scottish sculptures had 

 been Christian, we should have found them diffused over a wider sphere. Then the 

 Scots who came from Ireland in the sixth century did not use them in their own country, 

 nor in Argyll, the country which they colonized; so that we must suppose the symbols 

 to be the work of the Pictish people, in whose country, with two exceptions, they 

 occur, — one in Galloway, the other discovered by the author's friend Mr. Robertson, in 

 Prince's Street Gardens, Edinburgh. These Picts are spoken of in the third century 

 by Roman authors, when the term Caledonii is given up, and we find them historically 

 in possession of the country till they were overcome by the Scots in the ninth century. 

 There were two nations, the north and south, the former converted by Ninian, the 

 latter by Columba, in the latter part of the sixth century. Much as we hear of their 

 mutual warfare and conflicts with their neighbours from the Irish chroniclers, we yet 

 gather from the venerable Bede some facts which show considerable progress in arts. 

 Biscop,abbot of Yarrow, founded, about 673, a monastery at Wearmouth. He had been 

 at Rome, in company with Wilfrid, about twenty years before, and they both imbibed 

 a taste for Roman architecture, which they afterwards strove to diffuse in their own 

 country. Biscop brought home masons to make him a stone church, after the man- 



