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Highland (Mainland)

Miscellaneous

Location of Class II Z-rod & V-rod stones
From the book I mentioned earlier in Head heritage ('The Pictish trail') the following information might be of use:
Class I stones are the simplest with only symbols cut into their surface.
Class II stones have symbols but also are dressed and the symbols are in relief and have a cross carved on the other side.
Class III stones have no symbols they have other figures and a cross (a magnificent example being the Sueno's stone ('Sven's stone'), near Forres, Moray, it is thought to illustrate the slaughter of Picts (depicted in groups of 7) that occurred during the unification of Scotland by Kenneth MacAlpin).

All the known symbols on class I & II stones come in pairs except for the mirror and comb, which, if present, is always placed towards the bottom of the stone almost touching the lower of the pair above. Some designs occur only once but apart from these there is a core of 28 symbols plus the mirror and comb. The most frequent symbols found on the stones is the crescent -and-V-rod found in 75% of all pairings, next is the double-disc-Z-rod occurring in 40% of all pairings. (this is both class I & II stones taken together).
It is thought the V- rod is a divining rod and as with the crescent could possibly mean the lineage was involved with determination of moon phase tides etc. The Z-rod may be associated with power and the broken rod may represent the dead (as I think someone mentioned this earlier).

As requested below are V & Z rod stones with cross (class II) locations. The grid ref that I am giving is the original location although some are now in museums. I will not mention all the symbols present on these as with out the illustrations some are quite hard to describe, and I donÕt have a scanner sorry.

Orkney V-rod HY 2398 2850
Caithness V-rod ND 1255 6879
V-rod ND 1309 6205
Sutherland V-rod +Ogham NH 837 002
Ross V-rod NH 915 840
Z-rod + V-rod +mirror & comb NH 8730 7688
Z-rod +V-Rod + mirror (no comb) NH 737 576
Hebrides V-rod NG 5467 3677
Nairn V-rod + Z-rod NH 9364 4253
Moray Z-rod + Ogham NH989 584
Z-rod+ V-rod NJ 2159 6285
Aberdeen Z-rod, V-rod (side by side) NJ 875 154
Z- rod NJ 436 068
Angus Z-rod +V-rod NO 5223 5555
Z-rod NO 389 544
Z-rod + V-rod NO 400 500
Z-rod NO 378 352 (lost)
Z-rod +mirror & comb NO 4953 3235
V-rod NO 4953 3235

Group of 6 stones St Vigeans (1-6) 1,3,5 & 6 Have Z-rods, St Vigeans1 also has a mirror & comb, some of the symbols are not determined on 2,4 & 5. NO 638 429
Perth Z-rod NO 2432 4878
V-rod NO2872 4459(meigle 4)
Z-rod + mirror& comb NO 2872 4459 (meigle 7)
Z-rod ,V-rod (side by side) NO196 212
V-rod NN 9462 5635
Z-rod + V-rod NN 928 240
V-rod NO 096 392
Fife Z-rod NO 423 035

If you want the same information on class I stones either buy the book 'The pictish trail: a travellers guide to the old Pictish kingdom' Anthony Jackson Orkney press 1989, or buy me a scanner! Caroline
Posted by caergog
25th November 2001ce
Edited 19th September 2005ce

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