Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/362

 2S6 PKOCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF a cast of the inscription (upon the hroken shaft of the monumental carved cross, in the church-yard of St. Vigeans, Forfarshire,) which had heen kindly communicated hy Patrick Chalmers, Esq., through the medium of Mr. Mason of Tenby. This cross forms the subject of the first plate in Mr. Chalmers's magnificent Avork on the ancient sculptured monuments of Ano-us.- Mr. Westwood ofi'ered the following remarks : " Three of the sides of the still existing part of this cross are represented in this plate. This fragment is about 3^ feet in height, If wide, and 7 inches thick ; on one of the broad sides is represented a series of wild animals, the bear, leopard {?), unicorn with a long tail over the back and a long horn curved backwards, doe and fawn sucking, sea-eagle devouring a fish, and a wild boar, against which an archer is in the act of discharging an arrow from a bent bow. In addition to these, there is the ornament like a circular mirror with a handle, a lunate-shaped figure with a double ornament and the remarkable (mystical ?) design formed of two circular discs united by a narrow bar traversed by an ornamental Z-like figure. The other broad side has a central panel running its whole length, with an interlaced ribbon pattern, forming a double series of knots. On each side of this centra] panel are various monstrous long-legged quadrupeds, unicorns and serpents. The whole of one of the narrow sides, and the greater portion of the other, is ornamented with a double-knotted interlaced ribbon pattern, and the lower part of the latter side is occupied by a panel, the upper half bearing the inscription, which is the subject of this communication ; the lower half is left blank. Mr. Chalmers has ofi'ered no reading or trans- lation of the inscription, but in his preface, he states that a rubbing had been submitted to several antiquaries, especially to Mr. Petrie, the author of the work on the Round Towers of Ireland, who is of opinion, from a portion which he had deciphered, that the monument is Pictish ; and he expi'esses a hope that he may be able to explain the inscription. " By the assistance of the cast, which has allowed the carved surface to be submitted to the hght in various positions, I am able to make out the whole of the letters, which are indeed given with fair accuracy in Mr. Chalmers's plate. cin-orten:; ipeu oner cu " The first letter of the first line I consider to be a d, of the small Roman form ; tlio lower part of the curve is certainly connected with the straight
 * Kdiuburgli, 18JR. Noticed in Arcliaeol. Journal, vol. vi., p. 86.