Building record MAB3400 - SUENO'S STONE, FORRES

Class III Pictish symbol stone.

Class III Pictish symbol stone. It was found lying flat, and raised to present position after recovery. One of the most magnificent carved stones in Britain, and the tallest and most complex piece of early medieval sculpture in Scotland. It stands over 6.5 m high, and weighs circa 7.6 tons. It is sandstone, probably brought from the coast near Covesea. On the west side is a relief carving of a ring-headed cross, the shaft filled with interlace spiral knotwork. Below, two long bearded figures confront each other with smaller attendants behind. The sides are highly decorated, bearing linear art, vine scrolls and beasts. The obverse depicts a great battle scene in four panels which can be interpreted as a heroic narrative reading from top to bottom. The top panel depicts a number of horsemen, possibly a leader and his guard arriving for battle. The central panel is divided into three sections. The top section depicting a scene of battle with the combatants fighting on foot. The middle shows a besieged stronghold, to the left of which a number of headless corpses are depicted which can be interpreted as an account of the fate of the defeated defenders of the besieged stronghold. The bottom section depicts a group of horsemen fleeing from a group of infantry. The lower two panels of the east face appears to show the final defeat of the defending army, one depicting piles of headless corpses and severed heads, and the other panel shows the dispersal of the defeated army. Badly weathered, the stone was housed under a specially constructed glass canopy in 1991. Excavations in 1926 established that the stone was not counterbalanced by a deeply buried footing but set into a larger base stone. Resistivity and magnetometer survey immediately around the monument in 1978 did not identify any archaeological features, nor did evaluation in the adjacent field to the west in 1989 (NJ05NW0339). A programme of archaeological investigation (excavation and watching briefs) was carried out in 1990-1991 before and during construction of the protective glass canopy that now encloses the stone. The work re-exposed the lowermost panel of carving on the east face and the massive socketed block that forms the socle for the monument. Two adjacent oval settings, dated to the first millennium BC, may relate to emplacement of the stone at its present location, and raises doubts about the long standing tradition that the present location of the stone dates from the 18th century. These excavations did not identify any particular features which were the cause of anomalies recorded by geophysical survey that was carried out in 1990 over an area around the stone considered for landscaping. In 1995 AOC conducted the total excavation of area affected by proposed bus turning hammerhead. The subsoil surface was hand cleaned. Four features were identified within the subsoil surface, two of which were modern in origin and one, a gully, was only tentatively identified as anthropogenic in origin. The fourth feature was a truncated pit that contained a quantity of burnt wood charcoal. Alba Archaeology carried out a watching brief adjacent to Sueno's Stone in Forres in February 2005. A single trench was excavated by machine in preparation for a cycle path. Nine archaeological features were found at a depth of approximately 0.8 m below the ground surface. No significant finds were uncovered but a single radiocarbon date of approximately 100 BC suggests an Iron Age providence for the features perhaps associated with settlement in the area. No features that could be securely related to the stone itself were uncovered. A watching brief was maintained by Kirkdale Archaeology in July 2015 during the excavation of two trenches to house the concrete foundations for a bench to be installed to the southwest of the stone, but this disturbed only modern landscaping.

Period Notes
Stone possibly 9th century in date. Calibrated Date(s): 3020 BC to 2620 BC (GU-4868)(from burnt material in pit); 900 AD to 1170 AD (GU-3442); 660 AD to 890 AD (GU-3443).
From AA 2005 watching brief: 2115+/-40BP (which equals 352 BC - 40 BC at 2 sigma) (GU-12883). Calibrated date from 2005 derived from OxCal 4.1

Acc 15924 Neg:1318/10a, Acc 15924 Neg:1318/10a (Photograph). SAB31606.

Acc 2495 Neg:1046 735/29, Acc 2495 Neg:1046 735/29 (Photograph). SAB31603.

Acc 303 Neg:735/22, Acc 303 Neg:735/22 (Photograph). SAB31602.

Acc 304 Neg: 735/24, Acc 304 Neg: 735/24 (Photograph). SAB31604.

Acc 3063 Neg: 1365, Acc 3063 Neg: 1365 (Photograph). SAB31601.

Acc 318 Neg:735/23, Acc 318 Neg:735/23 (Photograph). SAB31599.

Acc 6705 Neg:735/18, Acc 6705 Neg:735/18 (Photograph). SAB31600.

Acc 6788 Neg:735/27, Acc 6788 Neg:735/27 (Photograph). SAB31605.

Acc:13013 Neg:1127/39A, Acc:13013 Neg:1127/39A (Photograph). SAB31607.

Acc:13743 Neg:1127/38A, Acc:13743 Neg:1127/38A (Photograph). SAB31611.

Acc:13899 Neg:1104/9, Acc:13899 Neg:1104/9 (Photograph). SAB31608.

Acc:14805, Acc:14805 (Photograph). SAB31612.

Acc:5416 Neg:176/42, Acc:5416 Neg:176/42 (Photograph). SAB31610.

Acc:6408 Neg:735/28, Acc:6408 Neg:735/28 (Photograph). SAB31613.

Acc:6790 Neg:735/26, Acc:6790 Neg:735/26 (Photograph). SAB31614.

Acc:8647 Neg:430/73, Acc:8647 Neg:430/73 (Photograph). SAB31609.

GWW:1131, GWW:1131 (Photograph). SAB31622.

GWW:1132, GWW:1132 (Photograph). SAB31619.

GWW:11755, GWW:11755 (Photograph). SAB31618.

GWW:11756, GWW:11756 (Photograph). SAB31617.

GWW:1467, GWW:1467 (Photograph). SAB31616.

GWW:1601, GWW:1601 (Photograph). SAB31621.

GWW:1602, GWW:1602 (Photograph). SAB31620.

MC/358/2, MC/358/2 (Photograph). SAB31615.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 28/06/1989 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

STUART, J, 1856, SCULPTURED STONES OF SCOTLAND (Bibliographic reference). SAB1800.

SKENE, W, 1886, CELTIC SCOTLAND I, 337 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1828.

ALLEN, JR, 1903, EARLY CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS OF SCOTLAND 3, 149-151 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3.

DOUGLAS, R, 1934, ANNALS OF FORRES, 304-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB356.

MOW, 1954, A M's SCOT 6, 103 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1178.

MOW, 1962, A.M'S SCOT., 28 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1204.

SOUTHWICK, L, 1981, SO-CALLED SUENO'S STONE (Bibliographic reference). SAB1829.

HENDERSON, I, 1983, STONE AGE TO THE '45,243-268, 258 (Bibliographic reference). SAB736.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, 29 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1744.

McCULLAGH, R.F.J., 1990, DES : SUENO'S STONE, 21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2861.

EXCAVATION

McCULLAGH, R, 1991, DES : SUENO'S STONE, 38 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2858.

EXCAVATION

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1993, THE PICTS IN MORAY. IN SELLAR, W.D.H. MORAY: PROVINCE AND PEOPLE (Bibliographic reference). SAB1731.

MCCULLAGH, R P J, 1995, EXCAVATIONS AT SUENO'S STONE, FORRES, MORAY. IN PSAS 125 (1995), 697-718 FICHE 4: A4-B7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5067.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 132-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

AOC, 1996, DES, 76 (Bibliographic reference). SAB81.

Farrell, S, 2003, Investigation of Sueno's Stone, Forres (Bibliographic reference). SAB2496.

BUCHANAN, S, 2005, DES VOL 6, 2005, SUENO'S STONE, FORRES, p.94 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3752.

BUCHANAN, S., 2005, SUENO'S STONE FORRES REPORT ON WATCHING BRIEF, REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB3732.

EXCAVATION

HISTORIC SCOTLAND, 2012, INVESTIGATING SUENO'S STONE; INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS (Bibliographic reference). SAB4370.

KIRKDALE ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, SUENO'S STONE WATCHING BRIEF, JULY 2015: HISTORIC SCOTLAND PROPERTIES IN CARE MINOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORKS 2015/16, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB2775.

BRUCE, J.E., 2023, EXPENSIVE CROSS-BORDER FORRES (Bibliographic reference). SAB3829.

Apr 14 2005 , AAS-GR-05-04-007 - 017, AAS-GR-05-04-007 - 017 (Ground Photograph). SAB35866.

Aug 10 1978 , AAS/78/3/CT8, AAS/78/3/CT8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31954.

Aug 29 1988 , HR 3-9, HR 3-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB33558.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT130, AAS/GR/77/CT130 (Ground Photograph). SAB32508.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/91/CT22, AAS/GR/91/CT22 (Ground Photograph). SAB32845.

Jan 1 1990 , AAS/GR/90/CT251-253, AAS/GR/90/CT251-253 (Ground Photograph). SAB32797.

Jan 1 1992 , AAS/GR/92/CT58, AAS/GR/92/CT58 (Ground Photograph). SAB32859.

Jan 20 2004 , AAS-GR-04-01-004 - 022, AAS-GR-04-01-004 - 022 (Ground Photograph). SAB35691.

Jul 1 1984 , BM 10-14, BM 10-14 (Ground Photograph). SAB30141.

Jun 25 2014 , AAS-GR-14-06-494 - 503, AAS-GR-14-06-494 - 503 (Ground Photograph). SAB35354.

Mar 2 2001 , GR/01/CT41, GR/01/CT41 (Ground Photograph). SAB36962.

Author unknown, n.d., FORRES GAZETTE, 02/06/93 (Bibliographic reference). SAB523.

Author unknown, n.d., FORRES GAZETTE, 18/06/86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB523.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 06/01/17 p.2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 06/11/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 13/03/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 15/01/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 20/06/86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 22/04/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 23/03/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 23/10/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 27/11/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Oct 19 1989 , MX 24-25,35-36, MX 24-25,35-36 (Ground Photograph). SAB33403.

Oct 25 1989 , MY 26-30, MY 26-30 (Ground Photograph). SAB33406.

Record last edited

Mar 19 2025 2:46PM