An incised bird, a notched rectangle and a Z-rod cut into granite make Birnie’s churchyard stone unmistakably Pictish. The Birnie Symbol Stone is a Class I Pictish stone, an early carved stone with symbols but no Christian cross, now standing on the north side of Birnie Kirk graveyard.
The stone matters because it holds a small but clear example of Pictish symbol carving in Moray. Found within the graveyard wall around 1850 and moved to its current position, it links local churchyard space with a much older early-medieval visual language.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
The name
A symbol stone is a Pictish carved stone carrying abstract, animal or object symbols whose full meanings remain uncertain.
History
The Birnie Symbol Stone was discovered around 1850 within the wall of Birnie Kirk graveyard.
After discovery, it was moved to its current location on the north side of the graveyard.
The stone is thought to date from the 7th century.
What to look for
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Bird symbol
An incised bird appears above the other symbols.
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Notched rectangle and Z-rod
The notched rectangle and Z-rod are carved Pictish symbols, with the Z-rod shaped like a diagonal bar through or beside a symbol.
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Granite surface
The stone is made of granite, giving the carving a hard, durable setting.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 57.6116°N · 3.3300°W
- Access
- Visible from a public way
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
- Stone stands on the north side of Birnie Kirk graveyard.
- Treat graveyard access and churchyard etiquette as locally managed.
Nearby places
Questions people ask
- What is the Birnie Symbol Stone?
- It is a Class I Pictish symbol stone in the graveyard of Birnie Kirk in Moray.
- What does Class I Pictish stone mean?
- It means an early Pictish stone carved with symbols but without a Christian cross.
- When was it found?
- It was discovered around 1850 within the graveyard wall.
- What symbols are carved on it?
- It carries an incised bird above a notched rectangle and Z-rod.
- How old is the Birnie Symbol Stone?
- It is thought to date from the 7th century.
Sources
Explore more: Carved stones · Pictish & early medieval · Moray
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