Archaic Scl'i.pturings. 143 



This same idea is doubtless conveyed by the swastika on 

 the Craignarget stone. 



The Two Discs. 



On the Cr.iignargct cross-slab the discs arc shown, one 

 on either side of the top limb of the cross, as on the slab 

 at Ardimersav, Islay.^^ The two discs occupy this situation 

 on a cross-slab at Cladh Bhile, Argyle. On the other side of 

 the same slab is also cut a cross, beneath the arms of which 

 on either side is a disc.^o The favourite locus for the discs is 

 above the arms of the cross. They occur similarly placed on 

 the cross-slab from Drummore, but there touch the edge of 

 the cross. They are placed on either side of a sacred per- 

 sonage, joined to the middle of his body, on a stone once at 

 Overkirkhope, Selkirkshire. ^i A sculpturing at St Cronan's 

 Church, Roscrea, Ireland, 22 shows the effigy of that Saint with 

 a disc on either side of him, and the discs occur one on either 

 side of the head of an ecclesiastical figure on an ancient tym- 

 panum, now re-used at Church of South, Ferriby, Lincoln- 

 shire. A disc is cut on either side of the figure of a cross 

 at Egleton, Rutland. ^^ 



\\'hile recondite designs such as these are very rare on 

 early Christian stones outside of Scotland, there is a great 

 wealth of such things in Scotland, especially in the districts 

 where the Pictish influences were most active during the 

 carlv Christian centuries. Indeed, it is only by an exhaustive 

 study of the symbols of the early Christian Pictish philo- 

 sophers that the history of the two discs can be made clear. 

 The only characteristic Pictish carving belonging to this era 

 in the south-west of Scotland is the famous rock-carving of 

 symbols at Anwoth. It can, I believe, be shown how the 



19 Graham. Carvpd Stones of TsUnj, pi.. 30, No. 107; P.S.A.S., 

 xvii.. 280; E.C.M., iii., 379. 



20 r.S.A.S., vol. xii.. p. 46, pi. iv., fig. No. G, a and b. 



21 Scot. Nat. J/i/.s., Cat., I.B., 100; F.S.A.S., xix., 334; 

 E.r.M., iii., 432, fig. 4ol. 



22 Brash, Ecrles. Arch, t.f Trrhitnl. pi. xix.. p. 54. 



23 Arrhiioliiijio . ixvii., p. 173. 



