A Fragmented Masterpiece: Recovering the Biography of the Hilton of Cadboll Pictish Cross-Slab

Heather James, Isabel Henderson, Sally Mary Foster, Sian Jones

Research output: Book/ReportBook

Abstract

Around AD 800, a superbly carved cross-slab was erected at Hilton of Cadboll in NE Scotland. The major part of the stone now stands in the National Museums of Scotland. This interdisciplinary study recovers the story of what happened to it in the previous 1,200 years, including the loss of the carving on one face when the slab was reused as a gravestone in 1676. Archaeological excavations in 1998 and 2001 revealed not only fragments of the missing original carved face but also the lower portion of the stone still set into the ground, and this has allowed the art history and biography of this magnificent Pictish monument to be assessed more fully than ever before. The discovery of the lower portion has also raised issues concerning the role of the stone in the local and national community, and these are fully explored.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationEdinburgh
PublisherSociety of Antiquaries of Scotland
Number of pages422
ISBN (Print)978 0 903903 42 4
Publication statusPublished - 2008

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