MARKINGS that resemble Roman numerals have been discovered on the Stone of Destiny, the rock on which Scotland’s monarchs are crowned.
A three-dimensional (3D) model of the stone has been created ahead of its use during the coronation of King Charles III next month.
The scans have also revealed more details about the structure of the rock.
Ewan Hyslop, head of research and climate change at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the public body that cares for the stone, said: “It’s very exciting to discover new information about an object as unique and important to Scotland’s history as the Stone of Destiny.
“The high level of detail we’ve been able to capture through the digital imaging has enabled us to re-examine the tooling marks on the surface of the stone, which has helped confirm that the stone has been roughly worked by more than one stonemason with a number of different tools, as was previously thought.
“The discovery of previously unrecorded markings is also significant, and while at this point we’re unable to say for certain what their purpose or meaning might be, they offer the exciting opportunity for further areas of study.”
Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s culture pages.
Plus, don’t miss author Alexander McCall Smith’s column in the April issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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