orkney-shetland-1946-vol-3/04-014

Transcription

BRESSAY.] INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN SHETLAND. [BRESSAY.

[LEFT COLUMN]

beasts, one below the other. The upper one
has the tail curled over its back and the lower
one resembles a fat pig.

[FIGURE INSERTED]
FIG> 462.-Ogham inscriptions on the
Bressay Stone (No. 1084).
(By Courtesy of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.)

"Back (Fig. 477).-Divided into three panels
containing (1) a circular cross composed in inter-
laced rings, surrounded, along the top and sides,
by two twisted bands forming loops in each

[RIGHT COLUMN]

corner; and along the bottom side by two
twisted bands combined with circular rings;
(2) a pair of beasts with curling tails and open
mouths facing each other; and (3) two ecclesi-
astics standing opposite to each other with
pointed hoods, crosiers, and book-satchels.
"Right Side.-An ogham inscription on a
stem line along the centre of the face in four
words divided by double points, reading from
the bottom upwards.
"Left Side.-A similar inscription to that on
the right side in three words, also reading from
the bottom upwards.
"The Bressay Stone is described and illus-
traded in Stuart's Sculptured Stones (vol i,
plates 94 and 95 and p.30); D Wilson's Pre-
historic Annals of Scotland (2nd ed. vol. ii,
p. 240); the Journal of the British Archaeolo-
logical Institute (vol. xxviii, p. 181).
"Readings of the inscription will be found in
R. Brash's Ogam Inscribed Monuments (p. 355);
Sir J. Ferguson's Ogham Inscriptions (p. 135);
by Dr Graves in the Proceedings of the Royal
Irish Academy (vol. vi, p. 248); by the Rt.
Hon. the Earl of Southeast in the Proc. Soc.
Ant. Scot. (vol. xviii, pp. 186-98); and by
Professor John Rhys, LL.D., in the Proc. Soc.
Ant. Scot. (vol. xxvi, p. 297).
"The way in which the inscription is cut on
a stem line, with vowels represented by cross
strokes instead of notches on the angle of the
stone, with points between each word, and other
peculiarities, shows that it belongs to the later
or scholastic variety of ogham writing found
in the Book of Ballymote and other Irish MSS.,
ranging in date from the ninth to the seven-
teenth centuries." [endnote 1]
Rhys, in the paper referred to above, reads the
two lines of oghams together as meaning "The
cross of Natdad's daughter, child of Maqq-
ddrroann", which cannot be regarded as certain.
It is possible that the oghams were cut on the
stone at some time subsequent to its first erection.
[ENDNOTES]
1 E.C.M., iii, pp. 6-8.

DEFENSIVE WORKS.

1085. Broch, Ness Sound.-This ruined broch
(Fig. 480) is situated at the extremity of a rocky
headland close to the ferry between the islands
of Bressay and Noss, its position being marked

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