Corpus Refs: | none |
Site: | BRCHN |
Discovery: | non-arch dig, 1782 inc |
History: | Stuart/1856, 43, notes that it was dug up in a garden, formerly part of an ancient churchyard near the Cathedral [CISP: presumably these are the gardens, called `the College Yards', to the west of the Cathedral noted in the NMRS/NO56SE22 as the site of the céli Dé monastery which preceded the Cathedral]. Thomas/1980, 22: `the date 1782 carved in the top left panel of the main face may indicate the year in which the stone was found'. Okasha/1985, 49--50: `probably after 1848 and certainly by 1903 the stone was moved to the chapel at Aldbar, near Brechin where it remained till 1934 when it was presented to the Cathedral by R.A. Chalmers of Aldbar'. |
Geology: | Okasha/1985, 50: `Lower Old Red Sandstone, probably Arbuthnott Group and probably quarried'. |
Dimensions: | 0.97 x 0.91 x 0.17 (Okasha/1985) |
Setting: | in struct |
Location: | on site Okasha/1985, 50: `set into the interior north wall of the chancel arch of the nave of Brechin cathedral, facing west'. |
Form: | cross-slab Okasha/1985, 50: `a rectangular portion of a cross-slab'. Carved in relief on the three visible faces. |
Condition: | frgmntry , some Richardson/1964, 8: `the slab has been split in its thickness and the carved back is lost'. The upper and lower portions are missing. The date 1782 has been carved in the upper left panel of the main face. |
Folklore: | none |
Crosses: | 1: latin; outline; straight; plain; square; ind; inner curv; ind; decorated |
Decorations: | animal; band; beading; frame Okahsa/1985, 50: `cross head surrounded by panels, with relief carving in all the panels and in the central medallion. There is also relief carving on the sides.' The large central medallion contains a representation of the Virgin and Child. The upper arm contains a bird of prey, the horizontal arms each contain a winged figure holding a book, and in the lower arm there are the remains of two figures with the nimbus around their heads. The cross arms divide the background into four panels. The upper two contain the remains of two winged figures, the lower two, symbols of the Evangelists John and Mark. The outlines of medallion and cross are emphasised with roll mouldings. On the sides, there is a standing human figure in a panel corresponding to the end of each horizontal cross arm. The most detailed study of the iconography is Werner/1972, 21--22, but see Henderson in Okasha/1985, 50, for a critique of his proposed early dating. |
Allen, R. (1903): | :S~: MARIA: M~R~: X~R~I~ : Expansion: : S(ANCTA) : MARIA : M(ATE)R : XR(IST)I Translation: Saint Mary the Mother of Christ. Allen/Anderson/1903 249 reading only |
Okasha, E. (1985): | :S~:MARI || A:MR~:X~RI Expansion: : S(ANCTA) : MARIA : M(ATE)R : XR(IST)I Translation: St Mary, the mother of Christ. Okasha/1985 inc reading only |
Orientation: | circular |
Position: | W ; broad ; on cross ; other Set around the carving inside the central medallion, on the background to either side of the Virgin's head. |
Incision: | incised Okasha/1985, 50: `incised'. |
Date: | 866 - 899 (Okasha/1985) Henderson in Okasha/1985, 50: `within the context of Scoto-Pictish sculpture the form, style, and iconography make a date towards the end of the ninth century more appropriate' [than Werner/1972, 21--22, who dates it to the second half of the eighth century. |
Language: | Latin (rbook) |
Ling. Notes: | none |
Palaeography: | Allen/Anderson/1903:249: `angular Hiberno-Saxon minuscule'. Okasha/1985, 50: `Insular script'. |
Legibility: | good Okasha/1985, 50: `the text is legible and complete'. |
Lines: | 1 |
Carving errors: | |
Doubtful: | no |