Sueno's Stone
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
SUENO'S STONE (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Neil M Grant RSCDS 4 for 20081- 8 1s turn RH and cast 1 place, 1s turn LH 1½ times to face 2nd corners (side by side holding LH)
9-16 1s set to 2nd corners and turning inwards set to 4th corner, 1s dance ½ reel of 4 with 4th corners and end facing 1st corners (holding LH)
17-24 1s set to 1st corners and turning inwards set to 3rd corner, 1s dance ½ reel of 4 with 3rd corners and end in middle facing partner (1M down, 1L up)
25-28 2s+3s set and dance on clockwise 1 place while 1s turn RH 1½ times to end 1L between 2L+3L (at top) and 1M between 2M+3M
29-32 All chase on 1 place to own sides and set. 213
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
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Sueno's Stone - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Sueno's Stone, a Picto-Scottish Class III standing stone located on the north-easterly edge of Forres in Moray, stands at 6.5 metres (21 feet) in height, making it the largest surviving Pictish style cross-slab stone in Scotland.Found on a raised bank along a now isolated section of the former road to Findhorn, the stone is associated with Sweyn Forkbeard, although this connection has been contested. It has also been linked to the killing of King Dubh mac Ailpin in Forres in 966. Erected around 850-950, the stone's purpose and the identity of its creators remain unknown.
Sueno's Stone, an upright cross-slab in the Pictish style, features distinctive interwoven knotwork on its edge panels. Crafted from local yellow sandstone prevalent in Moray, the stone has experienced considerable weathering. On the west face, a carved Celtic cross exhibits intricate interlaced decoration, accompanied by a poorly preserved figural scene, possibly depicting a royal inauguration. The east face portrays four panels depicting a large battle scene, with weathered rows of horsemen, armed foot soldiers, decapitated vanquished soldiers, and a victorious army leaving the battlefield. Elaborate carvings adorn the sides. In the early 1990s, the stone was encased in armoured glass to prevent further erosion.
Local legend associates Sueno's Stone with the meeting place of Macbeth and the three witches, suggesting that the witches were imprisoned within the stone and would be released if it were broken. However, this legend can be traced no further back than Shakespeare's play.
Another legend proposes that the stone was erected for King Dubh mac Ailpin, who, as per the Annals of Ulster, was killed by the Scots themselves in 966. Some speculate that Sueno's Stone, near Forres, may serve as a monument to Dub, potentially commissioned by his brother Kenneth II (Cináed mac Maíl Coluim). The presumption is that Dub's demise was either orchestrated by Cuilén, who ascended to the throne after Dub's death, or by Dub's supporters.
Sueno's Stone - Information Video
Sueno's Stone
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