56°31′34″N 3°01′04″W / 56.5261°N 3.0179°W
| The Balluderon Stone Martin's Stone | |
|---|---|
 The Balluderon Stone | |
| Material | Old Red Sandstone |
| Size | 2 metres (6.6 ft) |
| Symbols | Celtic cross (fragmentary) Mounted figures Serpent and z-rod Pictish beast |
| Present location | Balluderon, Angus |
| Classification | Class II cross slab |
The Balluderon Stone, otherwise known as Martin's Stone is a class II Pictish cross slab in situ at Balluderon, Angus, Scotland.
Description
editA slab of Old Red Sandstone, the cross slab is situated in a field and protected by iron fencing.[1] The slab, of which only the lower half remains, bears the remnants of a Celtic cross, two mounted riders, a serpent and z-rod symbol and a Pictish beast design. Local tradition associates the slab with the Legend of the Nine Maidens who were devoured by a dragon which was subsequently slain by a hero named Martin. Folk etymology names this as the origin of Strathmartine, the valley in which the slab stands.
References
edit- ^ Fraser, Iain (2008), The Pictish Symbol Stones of Scotland, Edinburgh: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland