Artefact Format: Photograph

Rhynie Man

Rhynie Man is a Class 1 Pictish symbol stone. This means that it is pre-christian in its imagery. It shows a lone figure of a rather vicious looking individual with sharpened teeth and wielding a pole-axe of sorts. He is wearing a belted tunic and has what looks like a tonsure headdress. His facial features are exaggerated …could this be a mask?

 

In 2013 the Scottish Sculpture Workshop undertook a project to try and reconstruct the Rhynie Man axe from iron. https://scottishsculptureworkshop.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/iron-smelting-at-rhynie/

The outcome of that surmised that the axe was possibly weighted like a polo stick and weilded from a horse. In 2016 a possible socket for the stone was excavated slightly down hill from the Craw Stane. At the bottom of this socket was a cluster of bovine teeth. Could Rhynie Man have been a ritual figure that culled cattle? Was he a warrior clan leader, a priest like figure or more shamanistic? Or was he just the local butcher?

This stone was uncovered in 1978 by a local farmer while he was ploughing his field. This was the same field that the Craw Stane

is situated and the subsequent ‘Pictish Palace’ that has been discovered.

In 1983 the stone was moved from the farmers barn to the foyer of Woodhill House (Aberdeenshire Council Offices) in Aberdeen which saved it from being moved permanently to Edinburgh. The stone can be visited by the public within office hours at the Westburn Road offices.

https://canmore.org.uk/site/17218/rhynie-barflat

 

Craw Stane

Photograph by Cathy MacIver.

At the crest of a small hill in a field as you enter Rhynie from the South stands the ‘Craw Stane’. This is a stone that stands approximately 2 metres in height and has engraved upon it 2 Pictish symbols. The top one is of a Salmon and underneath that is a Pictish beast. The stone has been proved to be in its original position and the Rhynie Man symbol stone was unearthed just a few metres  from it.

Crop marks of three enclosures  were identified by aerial photographs around the Craw Stane in 2005, two of which are probably ditched, while the other is palisaded, enclosing a total area of c 60 x 50m. The ditched enclosures appear to have entrances to the E. The Craw Stane lies between the two ditches at the southern side of the entrance area. A series of features was also identified within these enclosures.

In 2011 and 2012 Rhynie Environs Archaeology Project (REAP) carried out an evaluation of the Craw Stane enclosures that identified the cropmarks as a series of impressive earthwork and timber defences, consisting of an inner and outer ditch and an incredible outer palisade and post setting creating a timber enclosure wall. Inside the enclosures were a number of other structures including a post-built rectangular building or hall.

The palisade was made of massive Oak planks and within the palisade a series of structures have been identified. Finds within the Craw Stane ‘palace’ have indicated that Rhynie was once of great Pictish importance with the people who used this place being of immense wealth and status. Was this just a continuation of the population that was there before? This site was only used for approximately 100-150 years. What happened to them? What was special about the Rhynie area in context to the rest of ‘Pictland’ to warrant such luxury?

For further information visit the following sites:

https://canmore.org.uk/site/17199/rhynie-craw-stane

http://reaparch.blogspot.co.uk

http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600016699

 

Handkerchief

This handkerchief once belonged to the grandmother of a visitor to Rhynie (Erin Latham) from Oklahoma in the USA. It reminded Erin of her grandmother who loved going to yard sales and photographing old churches. Her granmother would have loved to have come to the UK and photographed very old churches but she never did.

Music Box

This music box was a souvenir brought back from a family trip to Australia to visit relatives. The most vivid memory of that visit was i had to sleep in a room at my Aunt’s house with a huge wolf spider that was named George. Although I was told not to worry at the time I discovered later that this particular spider packed a powerful bite….I’ve never liked spiders since. The box plays ‘The Entertainer’…

Axe Pin

This axe head pin was excavated from the ‘Craw Stane’ site in 2013 and was one of the first exciting archaeological finds from this site giving a clear indication of the site’s importance. It is also reminiscent of the axe that Rhynie Man carries and was found just a few metres from where that pictish symbol stone was unearthed in 1978.

“We have had the unique axe-pin conserved and the pin looks even more amazing than before – and best of all the suspicions about an animal on the butt-end of it (so many would not believe what we saw!) is completely confirmed.”.. Oskar Sveinujarnason (Archaeologist- REAP)

The animal mentioned by Oskar is a serpent with its mouth biting the axe head and it’s tail coiling at the stem. What is intriguing about this pin is that it is made of iron. The iron has been forged, not moulded, so the level of craftsmanship on this intricate piece is very high.

“The pin was found in the upper levels of burnt material around the palisade and post settings (outermost enclosure) in 2012.  It is a very rare example of a well-preserved iron pin.”

Glass Vessel

This little peice of glass found at the Craw Stane site has given us the clearest indication of the status and wealth of the people who once lived here. Glass was not as ubiquitous in 500 CE  as it is now and it took great effort to manufacture it. Given that this fragile substance had traveled over a thousand miles to get to Rhynie from what is now France was no mean feat. The people who drank from these glasses where very powerful and important individuals.

Hand Mould

“It can be difficult to explain to people why we get so excited about moulds as sometimes they aren’t much to look at.  Almost all the moulds we have found have been clay two-part moulds. These types of moulds have to be broken to get out the metal object, which is why they are in fragments. Since they are ‘one use only’ objects, the clay is not fired as hard as when making pottery, usually, which also means they fragments can break down and decay more easily than pots. Despite all these issues, we have amassed a great collection of moulds. Most are for the shafts of pins, probably to hold clothing. The most exciting moulds show us the pin head, which helps us identify what type of pin it was. We have to be very careful with the moulds as too much handling or brushing can break or remove the detail. Once in a while we get a real gem without too much handling! The mould looks to be for an early type of handpin, one of those quite rare types of pins for early medieval Scotland.”  Megan Gondek – REAP

This is just one mould of an an unprecedented amount found at the Craw Stane site. They seem to have been making jewellery almost on a factory scale. Was this for their own use? Was it for trading? Who was it manufactured for and why in Rhynie? Where were the raw materials coming from?

Pineapple Weed

Pineapple Weed can be found in trampled gravelly soil, especially at the entrance to a field.  The truly tropical flavour of the pineapple weed makes it a welcome addition to a homemade foraged cordial, dried to make a tea, or simply popped into a gin and tonic. With its pineapple and chamomile flavours and licorice aftertaste, it also makes an excellent digestive.

Field Sorrel

Field Sorrel and sheep’s sorrel is another tasty green that can be added to any salad, or simply wilted like spinach.  It can be found all year round in unused fields and in verges.  It’s sour lemony goodness goes well in both sweet and savoury dishes, and it gives an excellent zing and colour to a sorrel and lime poppy seed cake.