Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Taigh-Tasgaidh is Gailearaidh Ealain Inbhir Nis

Pictish stone collection

Cruinneachadh Cruithneach

One of the most important Pictish collections in Scotland – ten Pictish stones with carved symbols and animals, and various pieces of fine Pictish metalwork including brooches and a pendant.

Inverness Museum explores the history of the Highlands, its people and environment through its diverse collections of archaeology, social history, art and natural sciences, as well as its community engagement projects.  A programme of temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary art and crafts is held in the Art Gallery.   The museum’s archaeology collection spans the entire human history of the Highlands, so the Pictish artefacts can be viewed in context with other periods and cultures.

Further information

The ten symbol stones in the collection are from the Inverness/East Highland area and are usually on display on the ground floor of the museum.  They feature a range of Pictish symbols including the crescent and V-rod on stones from  Garbeg (Drumnadrochit), Little Ferry Links  (Golspie),  Dalnavie (Ardross) and Wester Balblair (Beauly).

The double disc and Z-rod pattern features on a stone found at Torgorm (Conon Bridge)  and the mirror and comb symbols can be found on the stones found at Dalnavie and at Culnaird Farm (Scaniport, near Inverness).    

 Other stones in the collection feature stylised animals such as the bull on stones from the Lochardil and Kingsmills areas of Inverness, and the iconic Ardross Wolf and ‘Deer’ stones found at Ardross. The museum also has a full-scale cast of Rodney’s Stone, which features rare Ogham inscriptions. (The original is located in the grounds of Brodie Castle near Forres.)  

 Inverness Museum is the only museum in the Highlands to display examples of fine Pictish metalwork. Examples in the museum’s collection include the terminal of a silver gilt penannular brooch found at Urquhart Castle in the 1800s, a small gilt strap-end found at Easter Dalziel near Inverness in 2000  and  penannular brooch pin found in Conon Bridge 

A  highlight of the museum’s collection is a rare pendant carved in cannel coal and found at Breakachy near Beauly. One side of the pendant has the design of an interlace Christian cross while the other side features a composite image of a biting beast, a serpent and a cross, which seems to reflect an eclectic meeting of different cultures.  

The origins of the Inverness Museum date back to 1825 with the formation of a collection by the Northern Institute, to promote interest in science, literature and history.  However, it wasn’t until 1882 that enough funds were raised to build a public museum for the collections.  The museum is now housed in a 1960s Modernist building at the foot of Inverness Castle.