2011

NG0483 : Tuama/Tomb Alasdair MhicLeoid/MacLeod - Carving 16

taken 13 years ago, near to Rodel/Roghadal, Isle of Lewis And Harris, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland

Tuama/Tomb Alasdair MhicLeoid/MacLeod - Carving 16
Tuama/Tomb Alasdair MhicLeoid/MacLeod - Carving 16
Rather a splendid bit of action going on here as an angel battles a demon - or possibly the devil. What is particularly clever is the way that the mason has carved the infernal being from a red streak in the stone.
< NG0483 : Tuama/Tomb Alasdair MhicLeoid/MacLeod - Carving 15 NG0483 : Tuama/Tomb Alasdair MhicLeoid/MacLeod - Carving 17 >
Tuama Alasdair MhicLeoid / Alasdair MacLeod's Tomb

Alasdair "Crotach" Macleod was the 8th chief of the Clan MacLeod. References on the web state that he was born in 1450, but as he died in 1547 this would mean he attained the remarkable age of 97. He became the Clan Chief in 1480 on the death of his father, William, at the Battle of Bloody Bay. Alasdair himself was no stranger to battle - his nickname "Crotach" translates at "humpbacked" - a disfigurement resulting from a serious battle wound. His misshapen body however is not faithfully reproduced in the recumbent effigy of his tomb.
The carvings:
The carvings on his tomb represent many of the things that were important to him in life; he was a religious man, so iconography such as angels and the crucifixion figure, but also scenes of hunting and of his knightly and warrior life, such as depictions of a "birlinn" or galley, essential to anyone attempting to control such a diffuse island demesne.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Historic sites and artefacts Religious sites other tags: Carving Tomb Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
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NG0483, 175 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Tuesday, 23 August, 2011   (more nearby)
Submitted
Wednesday, 21 September, 2011
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NG 0477 8317 [10m precision]
WGS84: 57:44.4486N 6:57.7839W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NG 0477 8317
View Direction
South-southwest (about 202 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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