Stone of Scone

Curent Archaeology 283 (Oct 2013) – see www.archaeology.co.uk – has an article on the Cornonation Chair and the Stone of Scone which at one time was used as a seat. It has recently been subject to an archaeological study which has come out with some interesting information about the chair – which was constructed with the stone as an integral feature. The stone itself is defined as Old Red Sandstone and has a geological signature that says it derives from a local source at Scone, in Perthshire. It did no originate in Egypt, Ireland, or from the west of Scotland as romantic tales and fanciful history would have us believe. It has even been claimed it had a Biblical connection – as Jacob's Pillow, a story that was ridiculed by William Camden as long ago as 1600. The stone is presently on display at Edinburgh Castle and Historic Scotland examined it there, the findings of which were published by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 'The Stone of Destiny: artefact and icon' (2003).