The comparatively rich Manx burial material suggests that the strategic potential of
the Island had early been recognised: Danish settlers from the Scandinavian kingdom
of York and Mercia, who began to settle north-west England towards the end of the
ninth century, would have recognised the potential of the Island, while the turmoil
caused by the exodus of Scandinavians from Dublin in 902 may also have encouraged
Manx settlements.
The incomers soon became Christian, a fact demonstrated by the monuments raised
over the dead, on which the cross is usually the chief feature. Ranging in height from
nearly 4 m to less than 1 m, many survive only as fragments. Of about 100 sculptured
stones of Viking Age date about a third bear runic inscriptions in Old West Norse
characters. Embellished with ornament basically of Scandinavian origin, they also show
traits of contemporary north English, and even Scottish and Irish, taste (Figure 27. 3. 3 ).
The ornament (of the Borre, Jellinge, Mammen and Ringerike styles) dates them
between c. 925 and 1000. Much ornament – representing individual animal and human
figures – presumably had iconographic significance. The figure of Christ occurs only
once, but other Christian symbols are more frequent. Pagan iconography also occurs –
for example, scenes from the Sigurðr cycle.
Figure 27. 3. 3 Ornament on memorial cross from Kirk Braddan, Isle of Man.
(Copyright © Eva Wilson.)–– David M. Wilson––