Stone of Destiny is fake, claims Alex Salmond

[Viggen]

Alex Salmond dropped a cultural bombshell yesterday when he claimed that the Stone of Destiny, one of Scotland's most famous relics, was a medieval fake. Scottish, English and British monarchs have been crowned on the ancient coronation stone since the ninth century. It spent 700 years under the chair in Westminster Abbey after it was seized in 1296 by King Edward I, and was finally returned to Scotland 12 years ago.

 

It has since been viewed at Edinburgh Castle by tens of thousands of people, and is regarded as a symbol of Scottish independence. According to legend, Jacob used the ancient stone as a pillow when he dreamt of a ladder to heaven. But Scotland's First Minister is convinced that it may be no more than a worthless lump of Perthshire sandstone. He believes it was passed off as the real coronation stone when Edward stormed Scone Abbey in 1296.

 

Mr Salmond said: "If you're the abbot of Scone and the strongest and most ruthless king in Christendom is charging toward you in 1296 to steal Scotland's most sacred object and probably put you and half of your cohorts to death, do you do nothing and wait until he arrives or do you hide yourself and the stone somewhere convenient in the Perthshire hillside? I think the second myself."

 

...full article at the Telegraph

[Melvadius]

Alex Salmond dropped a cultural bombshell yesterday when he claimed that the Stone of Destiny, one of Scotland's most famous relics, was a medieval fake.

 

<SNIP>

 

...full article at the Telegraph

 

This isn't really a new claim as to my knowledge the suggestion has been touted around several times over the last few years.

 

Of course the other suggestion is that after a Scottish Nationalist Faction retrieved the "Stone of Scone (AKA Destiny)" in 1950 they had several copies made (possibly as many as 3 or more) and as they refused to confirm which was which, or indeed if and how many copies were made, it is anyone's guess which one was returned to Westminster.

 

The official history can be read at:

 

http://www.visitscotland.com/guide/scotlan...tone-of-destiny

 

and for a dated older reference to the duplicate theory:

 

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9611/15/stone.of.scone/

[Crispina]

I can see it now: "Indiana Jones and The Stone of Destiny"....that is if it's filmed before Harrison Ford gets WAY TOO old.

 

Thanks for posting this and all the other interesting articles. And to everyone else who does, I check in every day to learn something new.