| Corpus Refs: | Macalister/1949:943 Petrie/1878:80 |
| Site: | KIOLA |
| Discovery: | non-arch dig, 1827 inc |
| History: | Petrie/1878, 73: `the stone...was found in the levelling of an earthen ditch, which formed part of the enclosure of the graveyard. It was brought into Ballymena, and, for sake of preservation, deposited in the first loft of the newly built church tower...a drawing of it was made, October 9, 1869, by Mr. William G. Patterson, of Belfast'. Macalister/1949, 112: `found about 1827 in the old church of Kirkinriola, and since 1927 placed for safety inside the E. wall of the N. porch of St. Patrick's church, Ballymena'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `This stone was found, according to different accounts, in 1827 or in 1868, either while levelling the earthen enclosure of the graveyard, or during grave digging. It was drawn by W.H. Patterson in 1869 and this drawing was published by Petrie in 1872. .. The slab was taken for safety to St Patrick's Church of Ireland Church in nearby Ballymena, and in 1927 was set in its present position in the church porch. The cracks suggest that it was in two or three pieces when it was set in the porch'. |
| Geology: | Hamlin/2001, 54: `basalt slab'. |
| Dimensions: | 0.52 x 0.46 x 0.0 (converted from Macalister/1949) |
| Setting: | unattch |
| Location: | Ballymena church; Macalister/1949, 112: `since 1927 placed for safety inside the E. wall of the N. porch of St. Patrick's church, Ballymena'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `in 1927 was set in its present position in the church porch'. |
| Form: | cross-slab Macalister/1949, 112: `a slab...the inscribed surface is slightly convex'. |
| Condition: | incomplete , some Macalister/1949, 112: `The stone has been broken into three pieces by a blow inflicted on the lower sinister quarter'. |
| Folklore: | none |
| Crosses: | 1: latin; outline; expanded; expanded; curved; none; inner curv; inc; plain |
| Decorations: | Macalister/1949, 112: `a Latin wheel-cross potent (the base broken off)'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `ringed cross potent'. |
| Petrie, G. (1878): | OR~T || DO | DEG || EN Expansion: OROIT DO DEGEN Translation: Pray for Degen (PN). Petrie/1878 73, Fig. 80 reading only |
| Macalister, R.A.S. (1949): | OR~T || DO | DEG || EN Expansion: OROIT DO DEGEN Macalister/1949 112, Plate XLV reading only |
| Hamlin, A. (2001): | OR~T || DO | DEG || EN Expansion: OROIT DO DEGEN Translation: A prayer for Degen (PN). Hamlin/2001 54 reading only |
| Orientation: | horizontal |
| Position: | inc ; broad ; within quadrants ; quadrant Macalister/1949, 112: `the inscription...[is] distributed...among the cantons'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `the inscription arranged around the four quadrants outside the ring'. |
| Incision: | pocked Macalister/1949, 112: `pocked and rubbed'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `pecked'. |
| Date: | None published |
| Language: | Goidelic (rbook) |
| Ling. Notes: | none |
| Palaeography: | Both Petrie/1878, 73, and Macalister/1949, 112, give the reading with a contraction mark over the ORT but their drawings (Fig 80 and Plate XLV respectively) show the mark only over the R. Hamlin/2001, 54: `The E and G are ligatured in DEG and the last letter is the Roman form of N rather than the more familiar half-uncial form'. CISP: The lettering is in half-uncial, although it includes a capitalis N. Two open-bowed Ds with the ascender curving to the left, one with a heart-shaped bow, a majuscule R, two open Es with an extended horizontal stroke, the first example ligatured with a half-uncial G. |
| Legibility: | good Macalister/1949, 112: `The lettering is...in good condition, though worn'. Hamlin/2001, 54: `clear ... letters'. |
| Lines: | 2 |
| Carving errors: | 0 |
| Doubtful: | no |