Castledermot Hogback Grave Stone in 3D
Text and Models by Digital Heritage Age
Overview
Hogback Grave Stone, Castledermot, Co. Kildare (National Monument KD040-002013)
The only recorded Viking hogback burial stone in Ireland. This survey has revealed previously unseen details.
Hogback Tombs are a Scandinavian style tomb. The style is more common in North England and Scotland, and dates to c. 10th century AD. Lang suggests that the style of the Castledermot Hogback, reflects a connection between Ireland and ‘Norse-Irish’ settlements in Cumberland and Yorkshire. While the Castledermot Hogback, is an outlier in terms of location, it fits within the style of tombs in these regions. Lang notes that the stone mason was either working from direction of a patron, or design guide. The Christian iconography is in an Irish style, and suggests a ‘patron or designer [who] was either a Scandinavian colonist [who spent time in Yorkshire or Cumberland] or at least open to Viking Style’.
J. T. Lang JRSAI Vol. 101, No. 2 (1971), pp. 154-158:
Bradley et. al. (1986) Urban Archaeological Survey Survey: @Dh_Age Funded: Kildare Co Co Community Heritage Grant
NOTE: This model requires good bandwidth and a reasonably powerful computer to view successfully, as the download size is 112MB.