Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

This cross-slab is located along the NE shore of the large lake on High Island. It is one of two cross-slabs (see also GA021-026025-) that were found among debris in the monastic enclosure (GA021-026022-) and it was subsequently placed upright on a leacht (GA021-015----) in 1869 by Kinahan (1868-9, 348). Recorded by Fisher et al. (2014, 210, no. 19, Fig. 7.4) as leaning against the leacht, the irregular cruciform slab (H 1.05m; Wth 0.52m; T 0.14m), of garnet mica-schist, is much weathered. The cross-head is formed by four deep notches. Two of the notches (lower left and upper right on W face) are not cut through the stone suggesting that it may be an unfinished cross-slab. No decoration is evident. (Higgins 1987, vol. II, 391, no. 111; White Marshall and Rourke 2000, 143, no. 4)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 11 December 2015

References

Kinahan, G.H. 1869b Proceedings: ancient remains on the islands off the western coast of Iar-Connaught. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 348.

Higgins, J.G. 1987 The Early Christian cross slabs, pillar stones and related monuments of County Galway, Ireland, 2 vols. British Archaeological Reports, International Series 375. Oxford.

Fisher, I. (revised by Scally, G. and Maddern, C.) 2014 Catalogue of cross-slabs. In G. Scally, High Island (Ardoileán), Co. Galway: Excavation of an early medieval monastery. Archaeological Monograph Series 10. Dublin. The Stationery Office.

White Marshall, J. and Rourke, G.D. 2000 High Island: an Irish monastery in the Atlantic. Dublin. Town House and Country House.