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Ackergill Links Pictish Stone, Caithness
Ackergill Links is located to the south of Sinclair's Bay on the north-east coast of Caithness. John Nicolson (1843-1934), a local artist, discovered a carved Pictish stone on the links in 1896. The stone had, apparently, been standing upright within the northern end of a mound which was later excavated and found to contain another symbol stone fragment.

This drawing by Nicolson shows the decoration carved on one side of the stone, comprising a rectangular symbol which may represent a bone comb case and, above it, a salmon. Both are commonly found on Pictish symbol stones. To the left is an Ogham inscription, transliterated as NEHTETRI, probably incorporating the personal name 'Nechtan'.

Ogham appears to have originated in Ireland and may have been introduced to northern Scotland by Early Christian missionaries. The pencil drawing has notes written by Nicolson discussing the relationship of the Ackergill symbol stone to another well-known inscribed stone from Bressay, Shetland.

This drawing of Keillor Pictish symbol stone, Perth & Kinross, shows the three symbols incised on the granite slab. At the top is an animal, perhaps a wolf, beneath is a double-disc and 'Z-rod' motif, and at the bottom is a mirror. This RCAHMS survey drawing was drawn in 1989.

Shown here are some of the symbols found on the Pictish cross-slab, St Madoes churchyard, Perth and Kinross, photographed in 1988. The crescent and 'V-rod' are both finely detailed and are common emblems. Beneath is a fantastic creature, known as the Pictish beast.

Craigton Pictish symbol stone, Edderton, Sutherland. This drawing is from 'The Sculptured Stones of Scotland' published in 1856 by Dr J. Stuart who was the founder of The Spalding Club, Aberdeen, which was formed to record the history of the North East.