SCULPTURED STONES. In Norway, Denmark, the Isle of Man, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, a class of monuments is to be found decorated with rude sculpture, and belonging to the early periods of Christianity—sometimes, indeed, showing the symbolg of paganism in conjunction with those of Christianity. By far the most remarkable stones of this description are those found in Scotland, which, with some points common to them with the rest, possess the distinguishing feature of a class of characters or sym bols of mysterious origin, whose meaning yet remains an enigma to antiquarii s, and which yet recur with such constancy in different combinations that it is impossible to suppose their form to be the work of chance. Along with symbols the figure of the cross is often found on one side. Neither in Ireland, in Wales, nor anywhere else, are the symbols in question to be met with. These monuments all occur within a cir cumscribed part of Scotland. None are to be found either within the ancient Dalriado, or s. of the Forth; their limit seems to be the eastern lowlands from Duurobin to Largo' Law, or the part of Scotland inhabited by the Pictish race. From 150 to 200 of t! eel are known to exist. The most interesting as well as the most numerous specimens are in Strathmore, at Gla;inmis, Meigle, and Aberlemna. Among the various theories which have been formed regarding these stones, one is, that they were boundary stones, the cross denoting the possession of the church, and the mysterious figures having reference to the lay lord; but those antiquaries who have devoted most attention to the subject, including Mr. John Stuart, have come to the conclusion that they are sepulchral. The practice of erecting stones to commemorate deceased persons of note, existed iu Scot land in pagan times, and, like other pagan practices, it was turned to Christian purposes by the earliest preachers of Christianity. Most of these monuments are of unbewn stone, and more or less oblong in shape; a very few have the form of a cross. A sculptured cress is met with on about half of them, the class without crosses belonging chiefly to Aberdeenshire, though a few of them are to be found in the country n. of Spey. Among the symbols to which we have alluded, one of the most frequent, which has been likened to the letter Z, consists of a diagonal line, from whose extremities are drawn two parallel lines terminating in some sort of ornament. This Z symbol is often
traversed with what has been called the spectacle ornament, consisting of two circles decorated within with foliated lines, and united by two reversed curves, or occasionally intertwined with a serpent. Another prevalent symbol is a crescent, sometimes appear ing by itself, more frequently with two lines drawn through it, diverging diagonally from a point below its center, and terminating in a floral or other Ornament. A mirror and comb, a horse-shoe arch, a fish, and a figure like a fibUla, are also all occasionally met with. Similar devices to the above have been found engraved on certain silver ornaments discovered on Norrie's Law, including a figure occurring on the Dunnichen stone, which had been taken by ingenious theorists for the high cap of the Egyptian Osiris, surmounted by'a lotus, buCwhich, as engraved on one of those silver relics, appears to be the head of a dog or some other animal.
The earlier of the Scottish sculptured stones, such as the Maiden stone in Aberdeen shire, and the older of the stones at Aberlemno, have no sculptures except of the class above described; the later combine these with devices of a more intelligible kind. An elephant is not unfrequent, represented in such a fashion, that it is obvious that the artist could never have seen one; and fabulous and grotesque figures abound, often drawn with considerable spirit. We have centaurs, lions, leopards, *deer, beasts of chase, men shooting with a bow and arrow, men devoured by animals, processions with men and oxen, and priests in their robes with books. Many of these figures are highly interesting illustrations of the manners, customs, and dress of the period. On a stone near Glammis is a man with a crocodile's head. On the cross at St. Vigeaue, a hybrid, half-bird half-beast, appears in the midst of a border of entwining snakes and fantastic creatures. A stone of great interest at Meigle contains a representation of a chariot. At Farnell is a group of figures that seems to be meant for the temptation. In but two instances have inscriptions been known to accompany these sculptures; in the one case the letters are so worn away as to be undecipherable; in. the other instance, at St. Vigeans, a few letters can be traced of the same Celtic character which has been found on the earliest Irish monuments and the oldest tombs at Iona.