Archaeologists excavating around the Pictish monument known as Aberlemno III in Scotland have discovered a fragment of an older symbol stone and a mysterious carved human head that may date to the Early Medieval period.
The discoveries were made by archaeologists from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and AOC Archaeology during investigations of the monument's base stone at Aberlemno.
Excavations also uncovered evidence suggesting that Aberlemno III may previously have stood in a different orientation at the same location before being repositioned.
Among the most significant finds is a fragment of an earlier Pictish stone bearing what appears to be part of a salmon motif.
Fragment of an older Pictish monument
The fragment was discovered beneath Aberlemno III, where it had been reused to help prop up the monument's base stone.
An incised design on its surface appears to depict part of a salmon, one of the naturalistic symbols found within the Pictish repertoire.
Salmon symbols are known from Pictish stones across northern and eastern Scotland and are generally associated with earlier monuments.
The fact that the fragment was being used as packing beneath the base suggests that its original monument had already been broken when the later arrangement of Aberlemno III was established.
Further analysis of archaeological finds and samples collected during the excavation will be needed to determine when this occurred.
Mysterious carved head discovered
Archaeologists also recovered part of a carved human head from the topsoil surrounding the monument.
Unlike the Pictish stone fragment, the head is carved in relief.
Researchers have so far been unable to associate it with any known monument at Aberlemno, and it does not appear to fit the surviving slab of Aberlemno III.
Its form and appearance suggest that it could be Early Medieval, although this interpretation remains preliminary.
If confirmed, the fragment could indicate that another carved monument once stood in the area.
The discovery raises the possibility that additional pieces of carved stone remain buried around Aberlemno.
Aberlemno III may have been repositioned
The excavation also produced new evidence about the history of Aberlemno III itself.
Beneath the monument's base stone, archaeologists identified two features that may represent settings once used to support standing stones.
One of these pits could mark an earlier position of Aberlemno III.
If that interpretation is correct, the monument would originally have been aligned north-south and oriented towards Aberlemno Kirk, where another Pictish stone stands.
At some point, the stone may have fallen or been deliberately moved.
A base stone was subsequently installed to support Aberlemno III, with the monument repositioned on an east-west alignment.
This later orientation corresponds with the conventional alignment associated with Christian monuments.
The interpretation is still preliminary, and further analysis will be required to establish the sequence of events.
'Exceeded our expectations'
“The initial results of the excavation by AOC have already exceeded our expectations,” said Stefan North-Sagrott, Senior Cultural Resources Advisor at Historic Environment Scotland.
“The discovery of the Pictish stone fragment, as well as the carved head, give us new questions to answer.”
According to North-Sagrott, the evidence currently suggests that Aberlemno III has remained in approximately its original location but was either moved or fell before its later base was installed.
“We have learned that Aberlemno III has likely remained in its original location, but that it was moved or fell and the base stone was added later, while a piece of an older Pictish stone was used to prop it up,” he said.
“We are unsure how the head fits into this, and we are excited to start the next phase of post-excavation analysis and research to see how much more we can discover.”
Hidden carvings could be revealed
The base stone has now been transported to Edinburgh for detailed examination.
A broken section of Aberlemno III remains embedded within the base where the monument fractured.
Researchers hope that removing and examining this section could expose carvings that have been concealed for centuries.
Analysis of the base stone and archaeological samples will also help researchers reconstruct when the monument was repositioned and how the older Pictish fragment came to be incorporated beneath it.
The discoveries add another layer to the archaeological importance of Aberlemno, which is already renowned for its surviving Pictish carved stones.
While the precise origins of the carved head and the chronology of the monument's repositioning remain uncertain, the excavation demonstrates that significant evidence relating to Aberlemno's Pictish and Early Medieval past may still survive beneath the surrounding ground.
Sources : Historic Environment Scotland