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Symbol stones. Stones bearing Pictish symbols were discovered on this coastal rock stack site, one in 1819, the others in 1832, apparently thrown into the sea from a low buried wall along part of the edge of the rock of the coastal promontory of Dunnicaer. Stuart (1856) published descriptions of 6 stones bearing Pictish symbols, and he maintained that there were others which subsequently disappeared. Alexander Thomson of Banchory House (1862) purchased 5 of the known stones and had them preserved at Banchory House (NJ90SW0039) where 4 of them still are, now set into a garden wall. The 5th stone (No.4) has been removed to Marischal College Museum. No.1 bears a double disc and Z-rod with several unusual flourishes. No.2 bears a fish symbol having a triangle with a dot in the centre above the head. No.3 has a crescent symbol combined with an equilateral triangle. No.4 bears a double disc and Z-rod. The discs are ornamented with concentric circles and central dots. No.5 bears two circles with dots in the centre placed close together. No.6 is sculptured on all four faces. Front has a circle and what looks like the end of a Z-rod. Back has a circle and a figure like the letter R. Right side has a small cross impinging on the side of a somewhat irregular circle, and a figure resembling the letter Q. Left side bears a similar figure to that on the right side but with a T combined with the circle as well as the cross.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)