- Chapter Thirty-Seven -
Figure 37.13 The Kildalton cross, Islay. (Photo: Royal Commission on the Ancient and
Historical Monuments of Scotland.)
The meaning of the unique Pictish symbols on some 200 Class I and II stones
remains obscure. The earliest are thought to be seventh century (possibly earlier),
and most are generally dated to the eighth century, with some later survivals. Some
symbols depict everyday objects, or animals in realistic profile. They are thought to
have had social rather than religious significance - rare inscriptions in ogam comprise
personal names. Hicks has summarized a number of complex interpretations of the
animal symbols as 'hunter's art', as 'a magic art drawing on Celtic cult animals',
as a 'totemic system of references surviving from an Iron Age society' and 'a form of
discourse, including reference to pagan mythological animals, devised to secure the