Cross head (Piece)

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This piece of a slate cross head comes from Inchmarnock on Bute in the Inner Hebrides. It has a runic inscription. The simple cross may have been commissioned by a Christian Scandinavian settler sometime between 1000 and 1200.

The inscription is fragmentary at both ends. A translation of the surviving text is 'this cross to ...'.

In the early Historic period three alphabets were current: Latin, brought by the Christian church; ogham, originally developed by the Irish and used by both Scots and Picts; and runes brought by the Scandinavians. Most people, however, were illiterate.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-043-467-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.IB 93
• Date: Between 1000 and 1200
  
• Material: Slate, schistose; inscribed with runes
  Cross head / portion
  
• Dimensions: 200 mm H x 25 mm L x 210 mm W
  
• What: Cross head / portion
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Bute, Inchmarnock
  
• Event:
• Description: Portion of a cross head of schistose slate inscribed with runes, from Inchmarnock, Bute
  
• References:
  • Black, Geo. F. Notice of a fragment of a rune-inscribed cross-slab, found on Inchmarnock, Buteshire. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 24 (1889-90), pp 438-43. 
• Translations:
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