TWYFO/1

Corpus Refs:Harbison/1992:22
Macalister/1949:871
Site:TWYFO
Discovery:first mentioned, 1907 Crawford, H.S.
History:
Geology:
Dimensions:2.1 x 1.06 x 0.27 (Harbison/1992)
Setting:in ground
Location:earliest
Harbison/1992, 26--27, recorded that the stone's current location at `the top of a hill in the former Twyford demesne, close to the lane leading northwards from Bealin Post Office, is almost certainly not...its original location. It is said to have formerly stood beside a well in the demesne'. Harbison refutes the suggestion of Henry, that the stone originated at Clonmacnoise: `Its original location must remain a mystery'. Edwards/1990, 164, however, continues to see the stone's probable point of origin as Clonmacnoise.
Form:Cramp sh. A, head 11a, r1
Condition:complete , good
Folklore:none
Crosses:none
Decorations:animal; figural; geometric ribbon interlace

Harbison/1992, 27--28, contains the following description of the decoration:

`EAST FACE (Fig. 70)

Shaft: A lion, with projecting tongue and raised tail above its back, proceeds to the left at the bottom of the shaft. Above it, birds with elongated necks have tails which coil into a spiral, where they interlace with a ribbon-bodied animal. The head of one of the birds can clearly be seen to have an ear-lappet. Above the second bird there is another animal with a tail which interlaces in a spiral fashion with the second bird's neck, and with its head placed in the upper left-hand corner of the panel.

Head: The centre of the head is occupied by a square panel with a two-strand interlace, above which there is a double three-pointed knot of interlace. The south arm bears a lion similar to that on the bottom of the shaft and - like it - also turning towards the left.

SOUTH SIDE (Fig. 71):

S1: A ribbon-bodied animal forming a flat interlace, with its head on top and its fish-like tail below.

S2: A lyre-like design, consisting of a pelta-shaped C-spiral rising upwards to two outward-coiling spirals.

S3: A panel of single-strand loose interlace.

The underside of the ring bears interlace ornament.

End of the arm: The end of the arm bears a panel of two-strand interlace.

WEST FACE (Fig. 72):

W1: Inscription...

W2: Four circular interlacing devices.

W3: A two-strand interlace terminating above in a two bird-heads with interlocking beaks. Between the birds' necks there is a a raised knot of interlacing with a sunken cross-shape in the centre.

Head: A round knot of interlace is placed in a raised circle at the centre of the head, surrounded by a further circle of single-strand interlacing framed by a further raised circle. The south arm has loose interlace enclosing a round knot of interlace, similar to that between the bird's necks on the shaft. The decoration of the north arm is similar, though more worn, while the ornamentation of the top of the cross has been completely obliterated.

NORTH SIDE (Fig. 73]:

N1: Hunting scene. - (Porter- Fergus hunting the stag with Tuiren). The bottom of the panel is occupied by a horseman with a crook, and by a three-pointed knot of interlace above the hindquarters of the horse which prances towards the right. Above them a dog, facing left, bites one hind leg of stag facing towards the right.

N2: A cross-shaped step-pattern with central square boss, and with L-shapes in the corners of the panel.

N3: Interlace.

The ring has been broken away, as has also the end of the north arm'.

References


Inscriptions


TWYFO/1/1     Pictures

Readings

Macalister, R.A.S. (1949):OROIT | ARTUA | THGAIL | LA{S}DER | NATHIN | CHRO{S}{S}A
Expansion:
OROIT AR TUATHGAIL LAS DERNATH IN CHROSSA
Translation:
A prayer for Tuathgal(PN) under whose auspices this cross was made.
Macalister/1949 79, Plate V concise discussion
Harbison, P. (1992):OROITARTUATHGAILLASDERNATHINCHROSSA
Expansion:
OROIT AR TUATHGAIL LAS DERNATH IN CHROSSA
Translation:
A prayer for Tuathgail(PN) who had this cross made.
Harbison/1992 27 concise discussion

Notes

Orientation:horizontal
Position:W ; shaft ; below cross ; panel
Incision:relief
Harbison/1992, 26: `An inscription, unusually in raised letters'.
Date:None published
Language:Goidelic (rbook)
Ling. Notes:none
Palaeography:CISP: The lettering is Insular half-uncial. The A's are in the 'OC' form, while some letters such as the L and D in line 3 and the H in line 2 appear to have wedge-shaped finials. The Ts are curved, the Ss are reversed and the Hs are minuscule. Each of the four Rs are different. The examples on lines 2, 4 and 6 all verge towards majuscule forms, but that on line 1 is clearly in half-uncial. The E is of the closed minuscule form, but the horizontal stroke is extended. The L is curved and the G is half-uncial. The D has a vertical ascender and an open bow.
Legibility:good
Lines:6
Carving errors:n
Doubtful:no

Names

References