The Doorstep of Destiny!
Humbler origins of the stone on which Scots kings were crowned
ITS origins have been shrouded in mystery, with legends linking it to Biblical heroes and ancient Egyptian royalty.
But an exhibition about the Stone of Destiny has revealed a more prosaic theory – that it may have been a doorstep.
The Stone underwent analysis before being moved from Edinburgh Castle to its new permanent home at Perth Museum.
Signs of wear on the top of the stone appears to have been caused by footsteps before it was used as the crowning stone of Scotland’s monarchs at Scone, near Perth, in medieval times.
Analysis last year determined that the Stone was quarried from the Scone area.
Together with the wear, this suggests it may originally have been used in a nearby church or possibly a Roman building. One legend of the Stone’s origin held that it was ‘Jacob’s pillow’, as the Biblical figure was shown by angels a vision of a stairway to heaven.
The Stone was said to have been transported from ancient Egypt by Scota, the daughter of a pharaoh, to the Hill of Tara in Ireland and later taken to Scone by Kenneth MacAlpin.
According to Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the level of wear on the top surface, thought to be the result of the
‘Repurposed as inaugural throne’
use of the Stone as a step, must have been caused before England’s King Edward I took it to Westminster in 1296, and also predates its role in inauguration ceremonies.
Dr Nicki Scott of HES said: ‘Even several hundred years of such a ritual wouldn’t create the level of wear we see. It’s more likely that the stone had earlier served as a step.’
Professor Dauvit Broun of Glasgow University said: ‘At some point, the Stone was repurposed as an inaugural throne.’