- George Bain, Celtic Art, The Methods of Construction.]]>
The interlacing of human form and Celtic knots evolved from laws forbidding drawing portraits of human figures as this was tantamount to copying a work of the creator, “God the Almighty,” explains Bain in his book Celtic Art. Similarly, it was forbidden to draw animals or plants. Angels and mythic creatures, on the other hand, were not of the earthly realm. And Saints had departed this realm. Thus, Celtic knot patterns were used to represent most of the human form, while heads, appendages and tails were often depicted using more life-like representations.]]> ]]>
The few survivors of a great artistic period, the books of Durrow, Kells, Lindisfarne and St. Chad will shed a light for future generations upon the greatness of the art and the other cultures of the Picts and the Briton. - George Bain - Celtic Art, The methods of Construction.]]>
One of the most impressive Early Christian monuments of south-east Perth, this cross-slab is in the former church of Rossie, which is now the mausoleum of the Kinnaird family. Decorated in relief on both faces, it measures 1.67m in height, 1.16m in width at the base and up to 0.3m in thickness. The front is decorated with a cross in high relief, lacking the left arm; the cross is ringed and has rounded hollow armpits and a central roundel of interlace. The top arm and shaft are decorated with panels of interlace, while the surviving arm bears key pattern. The panels on either side of the head contain, on the left, a beast with a human head and curling tail; on the other side, a beaked figure holding an axe with both hands attacks a claw-footed bird. On the left side of the shaft are carved a beast with its tail curled over its back; a naked man under attack from a beast and a fish-tailed monster; and a pair of confronted beasts, each swallowing a bird. On the right-hand side of the shaft there is a beast swallowing a serpent; below this there is an animal with a bovine head and large eyes. At the bottom of the slab there is a pair of monsters with human heads, the fins of a fish and beast-headed tails, bodies intertwined, facing in opposite directions, one astride the other; their beards and flowing hair are very clearly shown. On the back of the slab, a second cross, set within an interlaced border, is the dominant feature. There is an animal head just below the left arm of the cross where the interlace begins, with the pattern ending in a fish-like tail below the right arm. The almost equal-armed cross has rounded hollow armpits and a central roundel of key pattern and interlace decoration in the arms, which merges into that of the border. The short shaft and its stepped base are outlined by beading and contain figural decoration: three horsemen ranged vertically form a hunting scene with two further horsemen and a pair of hunting dogs on the right-hand side of the shaft. In the spaces above the side-arms of the cross are carved an angel and a figure holding a pair of birds by the necks. Finally, on the left-hand side of the shaft and pedestal there are a crescent and V-rod, a 'Pictish beast', and a kneeling animal looking back at the head which forms the termination of its tail.]]>
Bain's monograph inspired the design for the cover of King Crimson's Discipline album; in later releases, it was replaced by a knotwork designed by Steve Ball, which has also been used the logo of Discipline Global Mobile and Guitar Craft, a music company and a musicians' association each founded by King Crimson's Robert Fripp. A Bain design was also used to illustrate a rug manufactured by Quayle and Tranter, a former manufacturer of carpets based in Kidderminster, England.

His son Iain, an engineer, later also wrote two books - "Celtic Knotwork" and "Celtic Key Patterns".

The majority of Bain's known existing works are curated by the Groam House Museum in Rosemarkie, Scotland.]]>
'This symbol is for Nov 1st, All Saints Day. On a Staffordshire Clogg'.

'Is this a labyrinth? or a symbol of eternity? or when used 4 times on the extreme border, a symbol of 'eternal security?'

]]>
]]>
'George Bain died in Codsall, Staffordshire on 25 March 1968. His ashes were scattered, as he wishes, in the same place as those of his wife, Jessie, beside their joint memorial'.

- George Bain, Master of Celtic Art
- Susan E Seright]]>
George Bains drawing depicts - 'Above red line, probable reconstruction of the portion of the stone (missing) at Collieburn, Sutherland, Scotland'.

]]>
'Above red line, probable reconstruction of the portion of the stone at Collieburn, Sutherland, Scotland'.
Key order 24511542 . S -

'above the red line is missing'.]]>
The well preserved Pictish Cross-Slab in Aberlemno Kirkyard is sculpted with a Celtic Cross in relief and a background of intertwined beasts.

The reverse of the Cross-Slab has a panel showing a battle scene with long-haired Pictish warriors fighting Northumbrians wearing helmets with nose guards. There are warriors and horsemen bearing spears, swords and shields, and a dying Northumbrian being pecked by a raven. This is thought to portray the Battle of Dunnichen which took place only 10 km from Aberlemno.]]>
Aberlemno Cross.
'Right arm of Aberlemno Cross'.

Correct Order of Key
123494321 -5
12345,10,4321 - C]]>
The well preserved Pictish Cross-Slab in Aberlemno Kirkyard is sculpted with a Celtic Cross in relief and a background of intertwined beasts.

The reverse of the Cross-Slab has a panel showing a battle scene with long-haired Pictish warriors fighting Northumbrians wearing helmets with nose guards. There are warriors and horsemen bearing spears, swords and shields, and a dying Northumbrian being pecked by a raven. This is thought to portray the Battle of Dunnichen which took place only 10 km from Aberlemno. ]]>
'Centre of the Aberlemno Cross'.]]>
The name Knossos survives from ancient Greek references to the major city of Crete.

Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and is considered Europe's oldest city.]]>
Knossos Tablet, Aberdeen-shire.

'This stone and other suggest prehistoric connection with Scottish Celts and Mycenaean etc cultures'.

]]> The various contents of the Ulbster Stone Cross.

'These stones and many others on the northern and eastern sides of the Scottish Grampians have no connection with Christianity and are Religious Stones'.

'It is my opinion that this cross bears some support to immigration of the British Celts from West Asia and East Europe by land routs many centuries before the founding of Rome'.

'Commencing with the cross which was old in Asia and Europe in 6000 BC and latter became known as the 'Greek Cross' the designer-Priest put a diagonal cross of the Celts into its 5 parts. This again was converted into the Trinity Symbol 12 times, perhaps the central group of 4 parts has Eastern Mediterranean influences, like the Maltese Cross with it's double pointed or forked arms'.
]]>
This drawing shows the cross detail on the back of the stone. Also on the back of the stone is an elephant over a salmon, a crescent and V-rod over a beast, a fish-monster over a step and a double-disc over a double-crescent.

On the face of the stone, above another cross is carved a cow and other animals. Below the cross are two kneeling figures with a cauldron together with a horse and a colt. Below these is a serpent and a flower to the right.]]>
'The Ulbster Stone, Caithness, Scotland. Now in Thurso Museum'.
.]]>