Kirkcolm - Viking Carved Stones

This wonderful 10th century stone is carved with an elaborate Christian cross above a design of intertwined animal bodies. On the other face is a crude carving of a crucified Christ. Below is a figure of a man with a pair of tongs and a bird on his shoulder; this is probably Sigurid, a super-hero from Viking mythology. Do the carvings on the Kilmorie Stone show the triumph of Christianity over paganism or is this a case of Scandinavian settlers hedging their bets and using images from both religions?

Carvings of Sigurd also appear on Viking-period crosses in Cumbria and Lancashire. Perhaps the people who put up the Kilmorie Stone were in contact with other Scandinavian communities south of the Solway.

Contact

The Curator

Kirkcolm Church/church yard
Stranraer
Dumfries & Galloway
DG9
Scotland

Tel: +44 (1776) 705088