Expert believes she has unravelled Stone of Destiny’s Roman numeral mystery

The researcher who is trying to hint the “hidden” fragments of the Stone of Destiny believes she has decoded different enigma of the past artefact – Roman numerals which were etched connected to it.

A elaborate 3D scan was made of the Stone of Scone up of the King’s coronation successful 2023.

This revealed the Roman numerals XXXV were inscribed connected a portion of the 152kg sandstone artifact which would person been hard to access.

Historic Environment Scotland, which carried retired the scan and produced a virtual 3D exemplary of the stone, said it had been incapable to ascertain the intent oregon meaning of the inscription.

However Prof Sally Foster of Stirling University believes they whitethorn beryllium a comparatively modern summation to the centuries-old entity and linked to her different country of research.

Her mentation points to the marking being made by Bertie Gray, the stonemason and nationalist person who oversaw the concealed repair of the chromatic successful 1951.

During the celebrated raid connected Westminster Abbey successful 1950, erstwhile 4 students spirited the chromatic backmost to Scotland, it divided successful 2 and Mr Gray aboriginal oversaw the enactment to repair it

Last week, the PA quality bureau reported Prof Foster’s entreaty to assistance hint the stories of much than 30 fragments of the archetypal chromatic which were created during Mr Gray’s work.

Prof Foster has already received connection of respective fragments which stay successful backstage ownership, including 1 which ended up successful Orkney.

Her probe has led her to judge Mr Gray’s enactment led to arsenic galore arsenic 34 cautiously numbered and recorded pieces.

While the mentation whitethorn beryllium intolerable to prove, the Roman numeral of 35 could notation to Mr Gray seeing the Stone of Destiny itself arsenic the 35th “fragment”.

Prof Foster told the PA quality bureau she had travel to the realisation this week, saying: “The penny dropped: 34 fragments positive 1 chromatic equals 35.

“Of people I can’t beryllium this, but what other mightiness it be?”

Mr Gray ne'er publically revealed precisely however galore pieces helium distributed and helium died successful 1975.

Prof Foster said: “He’s penning connected it ‘this is the 35th’.

“It fits successful with his consciousness of humour and with him putting his ain people connected the stone.”

She argues determination would person been fewer circumstances – different than the masonry enactment – successful which anyone would person been capable to entree the little portion of the chromatic wherever the XXXV inscription tin beryllium seen.

An nonfiction successful the Calgary Herald from April 1951 refers to Mr Gray himself putting the “finishing touches” connected the repair to the chromatic and being arrogant of his work.

The article’s writer Dick Sanburn is 1 of those who received a fragment from Mr Gray – helium kept portion fig 25 down his table successful the Canadian newspaper’s office.

Other fragments were fixed to radical successful and astir the nationalist movement.

The Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia – the assemblage of elder officials charged with overseeing the Scottish crown jewels – are presently considering what should hap with a fragment talented to Alex Salmond which was kept successful the SNP’s headquarters.

Prof Foster is keen to perceive from radical who whitethorn own, oregon cognize of, 1 of the fragments of the Ssone which were distributed by Mr Gray.

She tin beryllium contacted connected her project’s website, thestone.stir.ac.uk, oregon done Stirling University.

A spokeswoman for Historic Environment Scotland said: “We don’t cognize for definite erstwhile these markings were made connected the stone, oregon what they signify. While they person the quality of Roman numerals, this does not needfully mean they day to Roman times.

“The quality of the markings and the information they person not been recorded antecedently suggest they whitethorn person been carved much recently. We anticipation this volition beryllium an country for further research.”