St Madoes Pictish Stone, Perth, Scotland

3D Model

A magnificent piece of early medieval sculpture, the Pictish St Madoes cross-slab, dates to the eighth century AD. Its imagery powerfully symbolises the authority of the Christian church. The whole is dominated by the ring-headed cross that fills what we can accept as the front of the slab. It is surrounded by biting dogs and with two lion-like creatures facing each other across the top of the stone.

The back of the slab shows three cloaked and hooded riders, probably churchmen (possibly a reference to the road and its users between St Andrews and Scone) and below them three Pictish symbols: a crescent and v-rod, a double-disc and z-rod and a Pictish beast. The symbols are much worn due to exposure to the elements when it stood in St Madoes churchyard. The stomne is now displayed in Perth Museum.