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Monuments: S

1. Sueno's Stone

Image
RecordAuthor Máirín Mac Carron
ISODate 2002-06-28
Date 28 June 2002
PictureCredit Jane Hawkes
County Elgin
Townland Forres
OSMapRef NJ 046593 (304662, 859362)
Area Scotland
GeneralContext View of the back of an upright cross-slab, known as Sueno's Stone.
Location It stands in a field on the north side of the road from Kinloss to Burghead, east of Forres railway station.
GeneralContext Stone Type: Red Sandstone
Dimensions 20' high, by 3'9'' wide, and 1'2'' high.
GeneralDescription View of the back of upright cross slab.
GeneralDescription The top panel has at the top a row of figures which are too defaced to make out. Below this there are nine men on horseback in three horizontal rows of three.
GeneralDescription The next panel has a large number of figures arranged in five horizontal rows. (a) In the top row, there is a man, in the centre, facing outwards, and two warriors armed with drawn swords and spears on either side. (b) In the next row there are two warriors armed with swords and round shields, facing each other and fighting, in the centre, and three men behind each. (c) In the third row there is an object shaped like a quadrangular Celtic bell in the centre with five human heads beneath it. On the left there is a man holding a staff, and behind him there are six decapitated human bodies, and a seventh headless corpse below his feet. On the right there are three similar men. (d) In the fourth row there are two pairs of warriors fighting on the left, and on the right a row of four warriors armed with swords and round shields. (e) In the bottom row, on the left there are six horsemen in three horizontal rows, two in each row. On the right there are eight warriors armed with swords and round shields.
GeneralDescription The third panel has a form of canopy in the middle with a finial at each end, covering several trunks of bodies and several heads. On both the right and left side there are three pairs of men.

  1. Allen, J. R., Anderson, J., The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland1st, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh (1903) Descriptions, Stone, Sculpture, Monuments, Scotland.
  2. Stuart, J., The Sculptured Stones of Scotland1st, Spalding Club, Aberdeen and Edinburgh (1856-1867) Stone, Sculpture, Scotland, History, Archaeology.