 The Papil Stone is a Class III Pictish cross slab.
It was found in the churchyard to the south of Papil Kirk (St Laurence Church), in Papil, West Burra in 1877. A copy of the Papil Stone may be seen in the kirkyard at Papil Kirk today. The original is in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The biggest carving is of a cross, a symbol of Christianity. This type of cross is a celtic cross and is found in many stones in Scotland and Ireland. To each side of the cross there are two monks depicted in their typical hooded dress and holding croziers with two of them having satchels hanging from their shoulders - a detail which appears only on sculptured stones from Shetland. Below the group of monks there is a sophisticated Pictish lion, which might dated the stone to the 8th Century A.D., different from the round headed cross which points to the 7th Century. Near the base of the stone are two "bird men," which differ much in style from the rest of the sculpture.
The Papil Stone is not to be confused with the Burra Monk's Stone, also found on the site of St Laurence's Church, Papil, West Burra. It may be seen in the Shetland Museum in Lerwick.
About the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone
Megalithic Portal: Papil Pictish Stone Cross Slab
Shetland Museum: The Papil Stone Factsheet
Ancient Scotland: Papil Pictish Stone
The Papar Project: Papil, Burra Sculpture
Journey to the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone
A replica of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone is located in the churchyard of St. Laurence Church in the West Burra area in the South Mainland. The original is in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Ordnance Survey Map (HU368315)
Visitors Information
Visitors information for the Papil Stone replica may be found at the geograph.org.uk website. General information on Shetland may be found at the Visit Shetland website.
Additional Photos of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone
Papil Kirk (St. Laurence Church), Site of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Papil Kirk (St. Laurence Church), Site of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Top Section of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Middle Section of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Bottom Section of the Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Replica
Papil Pictish Symbol Stone Original in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh
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