Clach Ard is a Pictish symbol stone on the Isle of Skye and as such is a real rarity. To date, 242 Pictish symbol stones have been found in Scotland. The majority of these have turned up on the eastern side of the country in an area from Fife in the south to Orkney in the north. Very few have been found in the west of the country: one in Argyll and Bute, two in Wester Ross, two in the Western Isles, one on Raasay and three on Skye ( another had been unearthed since the plaque seen in the video was made) Clach Ard, in Gaelic means “tall stone”. It has stood here since about 1880 when it was found being used as a doorjam during the demolition of a nearby cottage. The markings include a “double disc and Z-rod” across the width of the middle part of the stone with a “crescent and V-rod” above it. “The Picts” is a handy description for the confederation of tribes that came together to oppose the Romans, who then occupied the central and eastern parts of Scotland for several hundred years after the Romans’ departure. Pictish Symbol Stones open a small window into an era of Scottish history which, though ending at a time when written records were appearing elsewhere on these islands, is little understood. Even less understood is what the symbols found on Pictish stones were meant to represent, though some have suggested they are symbols of powerful dynasties: which would make them a little like a Royal Coat of Arms in more recent history. The final mystery, of course, is why a large, heavy, and far from portable stone carved by a people who dominated the eastern half of Scotland should turn up near the northern end of the Isle of Skye. source:undiscoveredscotland.co.uk #andythehighlander #scotland #highlandertours #outlander #meninkilts #whisky #kilt #yourscotland #history #scottishhistory #isleofskye #skye #standingstones #pictish #picts