Posted on 02/09/2008 6:38:15 PM PST by blam
SCOTTISH MASONS' MYSTERIOUS SIGNATURES IN STONE TO BE RECORDED
By 24 Hour Museum Staff 08/02/2008
Courtesy Historic Scotland
Mysterious symbols carved into Scotland’s medieval churches, castles and bridges are to be studied and recorded in a new scheme supported by Historic Scotland.
Masons’ marks are enigmatic signatures cut into stone wherever they worked, and hold clues as to dates of construction as well as the craftsmen who worked on the structure. However, little is known about the identities and life stories of these men who played such an important role in creating the country’s most cherished buildings from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. The exact function of the marks is not even known.
These signatures of the master masons are now to be recorded for the regions of Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus in a project that will produce a database including all the marks in the area, providing the possibility of following the movements of individuals from one project to the next.
“We are calling on local history and heritage societies to help us by searching for and recording our masons’ marks at medieval buildings across the area,” said Moira Greig, Aberdeenshire Council archaeologist. “We hope this project will help us to discover more about a group of people who we know a lot about, but about whom there are few written records.”
Historic Scotland are helping out by waiving the entry fee at a number of properties for groups taking part in the project – sites include Corgarff, Huntly, Edzell and Kildrummy castles, Spynie Palace and Arbroath Abbey.
Archaeological riddles might also be solved by the research.
Courtesy Historic Scotland
“Many medieval buildings are difficult to date,” said Peter Yeoman, historic Scotland senior archaeologist, “but masons’ marks can sometimes give valuable clues because the same ones may appear at a number of sites.”
“If we know when the building activity took place at one of them, then that can help a great deal with the undated ones.”
Evidence does need to be interpreted with care however, given that there may be more than one phase of building for each site, and it’s also possible that masons’ marks might have been passed from father to son.
The marks, whose function is not fully understood, could well have been used as a way of showing who did what work-wise so they could be paid.
If the project is a success, it is hoped it will be rolled out elsewhere in Scotland.
A successful survey has already been carried out at Lower Northwater Bridge between Angus and Aberdeenshire, north of Montrose. The A-listed structure, dated 1770-1777, was found to have 283 masons’ marks on one span and 362 on another, with analysis showing that they belonged to 16 different masons.
GGG Ping.
I love the way the use the word "scheme" over there.
Masons ping
Makes sense to me.
ping
still got my Penny...
Probably they were very similar to the use of maker’s marks on silver.
LOL! My Dad’s a Freemason, although he may not remember it by now. I just pinged a couple of people I thought might be interested in this, whether it’s really “Masonic” related or just stoneworkers.
yup... it's simply the makers mark, nothing more. i have mine engraved on my Penny.
ping...
I am a mason and proud of my association of really great men and women.
Freemasonry, definitely part of “Mystery Babylon,” Revelation chapter 17. Their symbols are loaded with hidden meaning. The square and compass, for instance. Outwardly, mason’s tools, operative in nature, however, they have esoteric meaning.
No doubt, same thing with these mason marks they left on these buildings. Having an esoteric meaning known only to the “craft.”
interesting...
This is not mystery.
I am a “Mark Mason.”
(My mark is the “christos” fish of Christ)
Craftsmen take pride in their work. Cool.
MASONIC
LIST
Send uglybiker a FReepmail if you would like on/off The Masonic PING List
The List of Ping Lists
I think it’s a great idea. Too bad the knowlege of these great builders was lost to begin with.
Burial chambers of the Neolithic
Current Archaeology
Posted on 10/05/2007 7:31:41 AM EDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1906922/posts
Orkney arrowheads find points to Scotland’s earliest settlement
The Scotsman | 10-05-07 | John Ross
Posted on 10/08/2007 7:51:26 PM EDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1908397/posts
Archaeologists Find Mysterious Neolithic Structure In Orkney Dig
24 Hour Museum | Wednesday, December 19, 2007 | Caroline Lewis
Posted on 12/20/2007 5:26:13 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1942493/posts
Mystery Over Ceramic Head Finds (UK)
BBC | 12-3-2007
Posted on 12/04/2007 12:55:28 PM EST by blam
Mhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1934573/posts
|
|
|||
Gods |
Thanks Blam. |
||
|
· Mirabilis · Texas AM Anthropology News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · · History or Science & Nature Podcasts · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists · |
|||
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.