1,300-year-old inscriptions found on medieval Cornish stone
A stone inscribed with Latin writing and Greek letters as well as Christian symbols – all dating from the 7th century – has been excavated at Tintagel Castle and will go on display at the Cornish stronghold from Saturday 16 June, English Heritage announced today.
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The inscribed stone uncovered at Tintagel Castle [Credit: Christopher Ison/English Heritag] |
The stone includes Roman and Celtic names – ‘Tito’ (Titus) and ‘Budic’ – hinting at a thriving multicultural community in this corner of Cornwall. The Latin words ‘fili’ (son) and ‘viri duo’ (two men) also appear. The stone itself – a two foot long piece of Cornish slate – served as a window ledge in a building which seemed to be part of a major early medieval settlement.
Speaking of the inscribed stone, English Heritage Curator Win Scutt said: “It’s incredible to think that 1300 years ago, on this dramatic Cornish cliff-top, someone was practising their writing, using Latin phrases and Christian symbols. We can’t know for sure who made these marks or why, but what we can say is that 7th century Tintagel had professional scribes who were familiar with the techniques of writing manuscripts –– and that in itself is very exciting.
Expert on writing Michelle Brown from the University of London has been charged with deciphering the inscription, along with textual expert Oliver Padel, and she explains that the style of writing is as intriguing as the words themselves: "The survival of writing from this period is rare and this is a very important find, especially in terms of the continuity of a literate Christian tradition in post-Roman Cornwall. The lettering style and language used, as well as Christian symbols exhibiting Mediterranean influence and contacts, all reveal precious clues to the culture of those who lived at Tintagel in the 7th century."
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Tintagel Castle in Cornwall is associated with the stories of King Arthur [Credit: Nigel Wallace-Iles/English Herit] |
Like the Artognou stone before it, the newly discovered stone will be the subject of much analysis. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis has not revealed the survival of any colouring, but it is hoped that high resolution scanning will reveal how the marks were engraved.
Source: English Heritage [June 15, 2018]
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