Provenance
Discovery: The stone was found by B Staigner and M Greig (1994, 27) in 1994 during tree-felling operations.
Findspot: Oyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (National Grid Reference: NJ 6956 2085)
Last recorded location(s): Recorded in situ on a low hill in Bennachie Forest.
Support
Trove 80727
Object type: Boulder
Material: Granite
Dimensions: H 0.95 × W 1.5 × D 0.8 m
Decoration: A prominent cross, measuring 350 mm x 350 mm and 20 mm deep, is incised in the centre of the upper flat surface.
Condition: A large rectilinear cross-marked boulder bearing a plain equal-armed cross and a damaged but legible ogham inscription.
Inscription
Text field: Two lines of ogham can be discerned on the top edges at opposite ends of the boulder.
Letters: The letter strokes vary in length.
Date: Seventh or eighth century
Edition
Ogham text: ᚁᚏᚕ
Transcription: BREGAV NECTON LABU[---]
Critical apparatus:
- The inscription includes the personal name Necton (Forsyth 1997, 35).
Translation
The inscription is insufficient to produce a translation.
Commentary
Information about the stone and its analysis is limited due to the lack of publications. However, as Forsyth (1997, 35) explains, ‘Nechton or Neiton is the well-known Pictish name of saint and kings’.
Forsyth (1996, 35) suggests the stone likely served as a boundary marker.
References
- Staigner and Greig 1994, 27
- Forsyth 1997, 35
- Forsyth and Pryce 1998, 61 n.89