Monifieth sculptured stones
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Pictish_Stones_in_the_Museum_of_ScotlandDSCF6254.jpg/170px-Pictish_Stones_in_the_Museum_of_ScotlandDSCF6254.jpg)
The Monifieth Sculptured Stones are a series of five class II and III standing
Location
The stones known as Monifieth 1,
All five are now housed in the collection of the
).History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Monifieth1_rear.jpg/170px-Monifieth1_rear.jpg)
The church and lands of Monifieth were originally possessions of the ascetic
The materials of the Culdee buildings were apparently recycled when a new church building was erected at some point before the
Of the artifacts found in the Church foundations, Jervise made note of two sculptured stones built into the fabric of the church walls.
A further high cross fragment was later found incorporated into the kirkyard wall. This bears similarity with Monifieth 4 and was donated to the Museum of Antiquities in 1928.[13]
Description
Monifieth 1
The front face of the stone bears a notched Quadrate cross decorated with keywork designs, surrounded by a thick border around the edge of the stone. The rear face is unique in having double disc symbols both with and without Z-rod ornamentation. The unornamented double disc lies horizontally at the top and is decorated with spiral designs. The double disc and Z-rod lies vertically on the right hand side of the face and is decorated with concentric circles. On the left of the face is a comb symbol and, lying between the comb and double disc and Z-rod, is an area of damage, where a long rectangular section had been removed when the stone was incorporated into the fabric of St Regulas' Church. The lower portion of the rear face is heavily damaged, but a portion of the edge of a circular symbol remains. Given the presence of a comb symbol, this may have originally represented a mirror, typical of the relatively common mirror and comb pairing. This face also features a heavy border around the edge.
Monifieth 2
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Monifieth2_rear.jpg/170px-Monifieth2_rear.jpg)
Monifieth 2 is another class II cross slab of grey sandstone, 0.45 metres tall by 0.3 metres wide by 0.08 metres thick.[2] It has substantial areas of wear to the rear.
The front again features a notched quadrate cross, with the central section featuring an angular knotwork design. The arms also have knotworks, whereas the shaft features a spiral design above a small keywork and the head has a further spiral design. On the rear face there are a variety of symbols. There are bird headed creatures incorporated into the upper border of the slab. The upper half of the slab holds two designs: on the left, a long-necked creature similar to that on one of the sides of Monifieth 4; on the right, a deer's head similar to that on the Class I stone at Dunachton and the Class II Glamis Manse stone. The lower right quadrant of the slab has a crescent and v-rod design and the lower left holds a worn figure, cloaked and bearing a halo, recently identified as the virgin Mary.[15]
Monifieth 3
Another type II cross slab, Monifieth 3 is 0.45 metres by 0.58 metres by 0.08 metres. The front face features a defaced cross shaft with birds and animals at the sides. The rear features a figure on horseback, a crescent symbol, dog, fish monster, a dog chasing a stag and a pair of biting heads.[3] (The Canmore record is at odds with Neish's account of the donation, stating that Monifieth 3 was also found in the church foundations and incorporated into the 1812 building.)
Monifieth 4
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Monifieth4front.jpg/170px-Monifieth4front.jpg)
The largest stone is a fragment of a free-standing
The rear face features a ringed knotwork design above a back-biting creature. The sides of the cross also feature knotwork designs, above phantasmagorical creatures.
Monifieth 5
Monifieth 5 is another class III high cross fragment, broken under the arms. It measures 0.5 metres long, 0.2 metres wide and 0.1 metres thick.[4][16] The front again features part of a crucifixion scene, with the Christ figure broken off at the waist. Flanking his legs are two figures. The lower part of the cross shaft is worn and any decoration has been worn away. The rear of the cross shaft is also too worn to interpret.[13]
References
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Monifieth Cross Slab (Monifieth 1) (33408)". Canmore. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Monifieth Cross Slab (Monifieth 2) (33409)". Canmore. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Monifieth Cross Slab (Monifieth 3) (33410)". Canmore. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Monifieth Cross Slab (Monifieth 5) (33412)". Canmore. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Monifieth Cross Slab (Monifieth 4) (33411)". Canmore. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Warden, A.J. (1884). Angus of Forfarshire, the land and people, descriptive and historical. Vol. 4. Dundee: Charles Alexander & Co.
- ^ Cowan, Ian B.; Easson, David E. (1976), Medieval religious houses: Scotland; with an app. on the houses in the Isle of Man (2 ed.), Longman
- ^ a b Miller, S. (1842), "Parish of Monifieth", New Statistical Account of Scotland, retrieved 29 July 2010
- ^ "St Bride's Ring", Canmore, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, retrieved 30 July 2010
- , retrieved 29 July 2010
- ^ Stuart, John (1856), Sculptured stones of Scotland, Aberdeen: Spalding Club
- ^ a b "Donations to the Museum" (PDF), Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 62: 226, 1928, retrieved 30 July 2010
- ^ a b Allen, J.R.; Anderson, J. (1903), Early Christian Monuments of Scotland, Balgavies, Angus: Pinkfoot Press (1993 facsimile)
- , retrieved 29 July 2010
- ^ "Monifieth Cross (Monifieth 5)", Canmore, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, retrieved 30 July 2010
External links
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/wishiwerebaking/4702742607/ Photograph of Monifieth 1 front, Museum of Scotland. Photographer "wishiwerebaking", Flickr.com