Archaeology & History

Mysterious numerals etched on the Stone of Destiny have been decoded

By T.K. Randall
January 24, 2025 ·  0 comments

A replica of the Stone of Destiny. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0 Aaron Bradley This oblong block of red sandstone might not appear to be anything special, but for over 800 years the kings and queens of Scotland (and more recently those of Great Britain) have been coronated with the stone - also known as the Stone of Scone - playing an important role in the ceremony.

The stone itself is usually kept under lock and key and away from the eyes of the public, which means that actually studying it in any detail has long proven something of a challenge for historians.

Back in 2023, though, scientists with Historic Environment Scotland were given the opportunity to use modern laser scanning technology to obtain an in-depth look at the stone's surface.

Intriguingly, they discovered what appeared to be Roman numerals (XXXV) etched into the stonework.

Now, more than a year after the discovery of these etchings, Professor Sally Foster - an archaeologist at Stirling University - believes that she has determined what they mean.The answer, she argues, lies in the fact that the stone had been damaged in 1950 when it was stolen from its home in Westminster Abbey by a group of students.

After it was recovered, each fragment of the stone - of which there were 35 - was given a number.

The main stone itself, which was mostly intact, was most likely number 35.

XXXV is 35 in Roman numerals.

Professor Foster believes that the number was etched onto the stone by stonemason Robert 'Bertie' Gray who oversaw its repair in 1951 after it was recovered following the theft.

"It fits in with his sense of humour and with him putting his own mark on the stone," she said.

Source: Mail Online | Comments (0)

Tags: Stone of Destiny