Sculpture

The traditions of carving and sculpture in Scotland date back to almost 4,000BC.

Several hundred very ornately carved stone balls, believed to have been produced by the Picts in Neolithic times, have been unearthed across North and Eastern Scotland and in the outer isles. Ancient carvings such as Pictish Cups and Rings and iconic images such as Eagles, the Burghead Bull and the Dores Boar demonstrate our ancestors’ keen eye for line and design. Some of the world’s most intricate stone carvings include the early Celtic church crosses and grave slabs found around Scotland, that then went on to influence the illustrations of the Books of Kells, Durrow and Lindisfarne.

With Scotland’s broad range of resources, inspiration and influences those early traditions are continued to this day. Within the Cairngorms National Park we have sculptors working in different styles and materials as well as hosting an internationally renowned annual chainsaw carving competition.