Papil Stone, Class III pictish stone, found at St Laurence’s Church, Papil, West Burra, Shetland Isles, Scotland.
A tall (c.2 metres), narrow slab, carved on one side only, thought to date from the 9th century. A circular cross with interlace carving between the arms of the cross, at the foot of a short shaft is more interlace. Each side of the shaft are two hooded months carrying hooked staffs, one monk also has a satchel. The base of the cross features a lion carved in the pictish style (although it looks more like a dog to me). Below the cross base are two “birdman” figures carrying axes and holding a human head between their beaks, stylistically these birdmen are different to tthe rest of the slab and may have been carved later or by a different hand.
This is the original stone which is now displayed in the National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh).
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Photographed 23 August 2021
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