- Early Christianity and its Monuments -
not been universally adopted). Macalister compiled a gazetteer of all the inscribed stones
from Ireland, Wales, England, the Isle of Man, and Scotland (1945, 1949), which he
classified by type of inscription into Latin-and ogam-inscribed stones, and those in
half-uncial script. His corpus on the large collection of grave slabs at Clonmacnois (1909)
grouped them by cross type: Latin, Greek, in square panels, in circular panels, Celtic
crosses, and those with looped terminal expansions (see also Lionard 1961: 95f.). The range
is similar to Wales: the early ogam-inscribed stones, carved pillars, cross-inscribed slabs
and recumbent slabs (in that order). The Irish stones have been the subject of early lists
by Crawford (1912, 1913, 1916) and important reviews and regional studies (Henry 1965,
1967, 1970; Harbison 1986, 1992; Hamlin 1976, 1982; de Paor 1987; Lacy 1983; Cuppage
1986; Edwards 1983, 1985). Most recently Harbison has published a complete corpus of
all the high crosses of Ireland, with a discussion of their iconography by subject (1992).
The Scottish stones, which are more rarely inscribed, were grouped by Romilly Allen
and Anderson (1903) by form and style, and many western examples are catalogued in the
various Royal Commission volumes on Argyll (Royal Commission on the Ancient and
Historical Monuments of Scotland).
9 Such as the seventh-century example from Arraglen, Co. Kerry, inscribed 'Ronan the
priest, son of Comgan' (Macalister 1945: 140-1).
10 For example the stone from Liddel Water, Roxburghshire, inscribed HIC IACIT/
CARANTI FIL(I)/ CVPITIANI ('Here lies (the body) of Carant(i)us; of the son of
Cupitianus'). For a recent discussion of the Scottish stones, see Thomas 1991-2: I-10.
I I The fifth-century example from Ballaqueeney, Rushen, is inscribed: BIVAIDONAS
MAQI MUCOI CUNAVA, 'The stone of Bivaidu, son of the tribe of Cunava', possibly
a reference to the Conaille, a sub-kingdom in east Ireland (Cubbon 1982: 259).
12 A rare exception may be the pillar from Kilnasaggart, Co. Armagh, with a dedication by
Ternhoc mac Cernan Bic, who died according to the Annals in 714 or 716. This dates the
slab to C.700 (Hamlin 1982: 291).
13 The cross from Cardonagh, Co. Donegal, was considered by Henry as the first freestand-
ing cross in Ireland (1965: II 8-3 I). Its form is composed of broad interlaced ribbons, and
below it an outline figure interpreted as Christ in Glory, or the Crucifixion. Unusual small
pillars flanking the cross are inscribed with a head emerging from a fish's mouth Oonah?)
and a warrior (David?). It has more recently been argued that this cross represents a
regional development rather than an early example, a contemporary equivalent rather than
forerunner of the ringed cross form (Edwards 1985; 1990: 163), and redated to the
ninth-tenth century.
14 Such as the early tenth-century Muiredach's cross, Monasterboice, Co. Cork.
15 The Doniert stone near St Cleer has been thought to commemorate the Doniert
mentioned in an Early Welsh source as late ninth-century king of Cornwall. Wheel-headed
crosses such as that at Sancreed near St Buryan became established in Cornwall. The
Perranporth stone near the former church of St Piran is mentioned in a charter of 960,
making it one of the few Cornish crosses which can be given a secure early date.
16 Such as the stones from St Kevin's Church, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, Fahan Mura, Co.
Donegal, and Gallen Priory, Co. Offaly.
17 A good example is the ninth/tenth-century slab from Lonan, which resembles the
'Conbelin' stone from Margam, West Glamorgan. Particularly fine is the late eighth-cen-
tury stone altar frontal depicting the Crucifixion, from a chapel on the Calf of Man, which
depicts a robed Christ flanked by lance-bearer and (now missing) sponge-bearer, with
ornament suggesting copying from a metalwork of Irish type.
18 LATINVS IC IACIT/ FIUVS MACARI (Worthyvale, Cornwall); BROCAGNI IHC
IACIT NADOTTI FIUVS (Doydon, St Endellion, Cornwall); DRVSTANVS HIC