The fine collection of sculptured stones now housed in the Govan Old Parish Church is a vital clue to it's potential history and to some extent compensate for the lack of documentary evidence. For sheer numbers the carvings found at Govan can be compared to other stone carving centres such as Iona or St. Andrews but are more instructively compared with the Pictish cemeteries of Meigle and St. Vigeans which have large collections and little documentary evidence.


The sculptured stones of Govan are through to date from the 9th - 11th centuries and so pre-date Glasgow Cathedral. The collection consists of 31 sculpted stones: 5 'hogback' grave markers, 4 'high' crosses, 21 recumbant slabs and a monolithic sarcophagus decorated with crosses and interlace patterns.
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The Sarcophagus

The most remarkable pieceof sculpture from Govan is an ornamental coffin carved from a single block of sandstone and decorated with knotwork panels and hunting motifs. The Govan sarcophagus was first discovered in December of 1855 by James Cruickshank Roger. When found, the sarcophagus was empty, had no lid and was damaged around the rim and the upper walls. The elaborately decorated surface of the sarcophagus suggests that it was probably intended to serve as a religuary in which to display the bones and relics of St. Constantine rather than as a tomb itself.

The sarcophagus is decorated with animal interlace, plaited ribbon patterns and coarse median-incised interlace work. There are also depictions of deer-hunting, two beasts and a serpent, and opposed beasts. In the middle ages hunting would naturally be associated with the nobility and may reflect their interests rather than any specfic hunting association with Saint Constantine. The sarcophagus is unique in Scottish early Medieval sculpture and should perhaps be compared with the St. Andrews shrine.
Drawing by Gibb, 1856 8


The Hogback Stones


A hogback grave marker datable to the late 9th century represents the earliest known stone sculpture of Govan. Hogbacks are unique to areas of Britain where there has been Viking settlement but are strangely not found anywhere in Scandinavia itself. The Govan hogbacks have affinities with ones from Cumbria but are significantly larger. The largest is 7' 9" long.


The hogbacks are decorated using ring-knots and pellets are used as fillers, indicating a date of around the middle of the tenth century, for most of them. Such design is typical of the Scandinavian settlement areas of the Irish Sea province. Another fascinating feature of the Govan hogbacks is the use of a crouching beast at either end of the stone, apparently clinging on to it. The carving styles provide some of the clearest evidence for the presence of a Scandinavian influence on the Clyde. 9


The Cross Slabs


There are 4 crosses, the earliest and most complete of which is the most intriguing. The 'sun-stone', pictured left, is an early example of such a cross slab which employs a wide range of early Medieval Celtic ornament. On the side seen here, is a large boss, emitting snakes and below is a square panel with a fret pattern. These forms of ornamentation are closely linked to other early Christian masterpieces, the Iona crosses and the Book of Kells.

The opposite side of this stone, has a cross flanked by interlace snakes above amounted warrior. This mounted figure invites comparison with the sarcophagus and with Pictish sculpture in eastern Scotland. 10


The Grave Slabs


The largest group of sculptured stones, the recumbant grave stones, is also the latest. They date to the eleventh century. Each stone is a rectangular slab large enough to cover a grave, decorated with individually designed interlace crosses. Their high level of decoration has led to suggestions that they could represent memorials to members of the Strathclyde Royal house.