Undiscovered Scotland

 

The Keillor Symbol Stone occupies what must be one of the most striking locations of any Pictish symbol stone in Scotland. The stone stands beside a minor road just over three miles east of Coupar Angus on the gently rising northern slopes of the Sidlaw Hills.

You reach it by following the A923 south-east from Coupar Angus, then turning left just before you reach Pitcur. The stone is on the left just over two miles along the road, and clearly visible from it. You can park without causing an obstruction in the drive end opposite, and access to the stone is through a gap in the roadside wall. The the stone stands at a height of just under 500ft and commands magnificent views across the valley of Strathmore to the Cairngorms in the distance. Many Pictish stones seem to have been located in order to make a statement: the Keillor Symbol Stone is visible for miles.

The stone itself measures just under 2m in height by 0.9m wide and 30cm thick. It is carved only on the side facing the road. The stone's exposed position has probably contributed to the fairly weathered state of the carvings, which are made even less distinct by a healthy colony of lichen. Nonetheless, some carvings are visible, and with a little care - and some imagination - it is possible to gain an idea of what they represent.

The most obvious carving is about two thirds of the way up the stone, and represents the common symbol known as the "double disc and Z-rod". This abstract symbol may represent the dynasty of a line of Pictish kings, in the same way as a Royal Coat of Arms represents a royal dynasty today: or it might mean something else entirely. Lower down the stone, and less distinct, are carvings of a rimmed mirror and possibly a comb. The most interesting carving on the Keillor Symbol Stone is the one at the top. All you can really make out is the curve of the back of an animal concluding with a head with a open mouth on the right. Most sources say this is an image of a wolf, though some feel it represents a bear. As wolves appear relatively frequently on symbol stones, and bears do not, the odds are that the mason had a wolf in mind when wielding his hammer and chisel back in the 700s.

An excavation of the base of the stone in 1856 revealed cist (stone lined) burials and bones, and led to the conclusion that the Keillior Stone stands where it was originally erected over 1200 years ago. It has sometimes been suggested that carvings of mirrors and combs signify the burial of an important female, but like so much else to do with the Picts, that has to remain speculation.