Building record MAB9984 - RHYNIE MAN, BARFLAT, RHYNIE

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Summary

A Class I Symbol Stone, consisting of a large grey granite boulder incised with a standing figure of a warrior, was ploughed up on Barflat Farm in March 1978.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

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Location

Grid reference Centred NJ 4976 2636 (40m by 40m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent
Map sheet NJ42NE
Authority Aberdeenshire
Civil Parish Rhynie

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

A Class I Symbol Stone, consisting of a large grey granite boulder incised with a standing figure of a warrior, was ploughed up on Barflat Farm in March 1978. The carving shows a man wearing a knee-length, sleeved, tunic with a belt around his waist and pointed shoes. He carries a battle axe or pole axe over his shoulder, with the hands and face showing further detail. The stone represents a rare example of a small series of Pictish stones depicting figures, and probably dates to the 6th or 7th centuries AD. The stone most likely stood as part of the ditched and palisaded enclosure which dates to the same period in the field (see NJ42NE0047). After its discovery the stone lay behind one of the steadings at Barflat Farm for several years while negotiations carried on between the National Museum, the Crown Agent and the landowner. This eventually led to the stone being awarded to Grampian Regional Council in 1987 and it going on public display in Woodhill House, Aberdeen. (Woodhill House is now the headquarters for Aberdeenshire Council). The Rhynie Man was removed from Woodhill House in January 2026 ahead of building works and is now temporarily held in Aberdeenshire Museum Services's HQ building in Mintlaw where it can be viewed.


00-16-1, 00-16-1 (Ground Photograph). SAB12766.

00-235-1-SLO, 00-235-1-SLO (Ground Photograph). SAB12765.

00-25-S10, 00-25-S10 (Ground Photograph). SAB12762.

OYOM 13-2, OYOM 13-2 (Ground Photograph). SAB12763.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 02/03/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 14/01/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 17/02/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 20/01/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 22/03/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 25/01/2021 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, p.14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

THE SCOTSMAN, 0000, THE SCOTSMAN, 01/04/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1819.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1978, DES,8-12, 12 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1824.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1978, PSAS 109(1977-8) 211-22, 211-22 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1637.

CLOSE-BROOKS, J, 1982, DARK AGE SCULPTURE, 28 (Bibliographic reference). SAB281.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, GRC LEAFLET, LEAFLET (Bibliographic reference). SAB1862.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 136 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

MACK, A, 1997, THE RHYNIE CLUSTER - OR CLUSTERS? (Bibliographic reference). SAB4623.

DOBAT, A S, 2006, THE KING AND HIS CULT: THE AXE-HAMMER FROM SUTTON HOO . IN ANTIQUITY, 80 (2006) 310, 880-893, 880-893 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4047.

FRASER, I, 2008, THE PICTISH SYMBOL STONES OF SCOTLAND, 40-41 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2523.

NOBLE, G, 2013, BETWEEN PREHISTORY AND HISTORY: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DETECTION OF SOCIAL CHANGE AMONG THE PICTS. IN ANTIQUITY, 87, NO.338, 1136-50 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1336.

Apr 1 1978 , AB 2-21, AB 2-21 (Ground Photograph). SAB12764.

Apr 17 1996 , C 65045, C 65045 (Ground Photograph). SAB13408.

Apr 27 1995 , C 47063, C 47063 (Ground Photograph). SAB13409.

Aug 21 2003 , AAS-GR-02-08-045 - 066, AAS-GR-02-08-045 - 066 (Ground Photograph). SAB20877.

Feb 13 1981 , PR 10, PR 10 (Ground Photograph). SAB12761.

Jan 1 1978 , AAS/GR/78/CT134,139-145, AAS/GR/78/CT134,139-145 (Ground Photograph). SAB32544.

Jan 1 1979 , JE 17-19, JE 17-19 (Ground Photograph). SAB33708.

Jan 1 1980 , AAS/GR/80/CT38, AAS/GR/80/CT38 (Ground Photograph). SAB32561.

Jan 1 1988 , AAS/GR/88/CT219-36,336-53, AAS/GR/88/CT219-36,336-53 (Ground Photograph). SAB32715.

Jan 1 1988 , AAS/GR/88/CT43-54,119-135, AAS/GR/88/CT43-54,119-135 (Ground Photograph). SAB32714.

Jul 1 1994 , AAS/94/11/G21/11-4, AAS/94/11/G21/11-4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15508.

Mar 11 1978 , AA 2-21, AA 2-21 (Ground Photograph). SAB12760.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 13/01/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 24/03/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 31/03/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Author unknown, n.d., HUNTLY EXPRESS, 24/03/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB749.

Author unknown, n.d., SUNDAY STANDARD, 21/03/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1834.

Other Statuses/References

  • Authority: ASH;
  • NMR Card Number: NJ42NE52;
  • NRHE Numlink: 17218;
  • Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ42NE0045;

External Links (1)

Sources/Archives (38)

  • --- Ground Photograph: Mar 11 1978 . AA 2-21. Black & White. AA 2-21.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Feb 13 1981 . PR 10. PL. PR 10.
  • --- Ground Photograph: 00-25-S10. Black & White. 00-25-S10.
  • --- Ground Photograph: OYOM 13-2. Black & White. OYOM 13-2.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Apr 1 1978 . AB 2-21. Black & White. AB 2-21.
  • --- Ground Photograph: 00-235-1-SLO. Black & White. 00-235-1-SLO.
  • --- Ground Photograph: 00-16-1. Black & White. 00-16-1.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: NOBLE, G. 2013. BETWEEN PREHISTORY AND HISTORY: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DETECTION OF SOCIAL CHANGE AMONG THE PICTS. IN ANTIQUITY, 87, NO.338, 1136-50. Y.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Apr 17 1996 . C 65045. Black & White. C 65045.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Apr 27 1995 . C 47063. Black & White. C 47063.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 22/03/78.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 17/02/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 20/01/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 14/01/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 02/03/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 25/01/2021.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. p.14.
  • --- Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 1 1994 . AAS/94/11/G21/11-4. Black & White. AAS/94/11/G21/11-4.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1978. PSAS 109(1977-8) 211-22. Y. 211-22.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: THE SCOTSMAN. 0000. THE SCOTSMAN. 01/04/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1978. DES,8-12. 12.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. SUNDAY STANDARD. 21/03/82.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1988. GRC LEAFLET. LEAFLET.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Aug 21 2003 . AAS-GR-02-08-045 - 066. Digital. AAS-GR-02-08-045 - 066.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: FRASER, I. 2008. THE PICTISH SYMBOL STONES OF SCOTLAND. 40-41.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: CLOSE-BROOKS, J. 1982. DARK AGE SCULPTURE. Y. 28.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1978 . AAS/GR/78/CT134,139-145. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/78/CT134,139-145.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1980 . AAS/GR/80/CT38. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/80/CT38.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1988 . AAS/GR/88/CT43-54,119-135. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/88/CT43-54,119-135.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1988 . AAS/GR/88/CT219-36,336-53. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/88/CT219-36,336-53.
  • --- Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1979 . JE 17-19. Black & White. JE 17-19.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: DOBAT, A S. 2006. THE KING AND HIS CULT: THE AXE-HAMMER FROM SUTTON HOO . IN ANTIQUITY, 80 (2006) 310, 880-893. 880-893.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. EVENING EXPRESS. 31/03/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. EVENING EXPRESS. 24/03/82.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. EVENING EXPRESS. 13/01/88.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: MACK, A. 1997. THE RHYNIE CLUSTER - OR CLUSTERS?.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, I. 1996. ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED). p. 136.
  • --- Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. HUNTLY EXPRESS. 24/03/78.

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Record last edited

Mar 20 2026 8:12AM

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