STOP PRESS – Structure Eight’s latest decorated stone

Structure Eight’s latest decorated stone. Click the image for a larger version. (Sigurd Towrie)

The decorated face of the stone is carefully washed after removal from Structure Eight. Click the image for a larger version. (Sigurd Towrie)

After yesterday’s discovery, we thought it couldn’t get any better.

Then today, as the weary excavators began making their way home, the Structure Eight team emerged from the building clutching another large decorated stone.

This stone is decidedly different, however.

Instead of the incised chevrons, triangles and zigzags we’ve come to know and love, the new stone features several rows of “dots” divided into two groups.

This is new to the Ness, although a similar technique was used in the creation of a rosette-shaped decoration, also found in Structure Eight, in July 2016.