Posting Member: Jenn for LA & Rich
Topic: Scotland – Land of sinking stones.
Family Name Associations: Barr, McBirde, Gray, Rice, Cossar
Location: Shotts, Scotland
Mood:Tired for the time change!
Music:
The files have slowly been arriving from LA & Rich’s adventures across the pond – We’ll have to wait for them to be home before we can manage some bigger transfers, and I’m still wrapped up in the project for now so it’s good, cause I’d want to play with all the information too! They’re having an amazing time, but we have no idea if they’ve managed to find anything of use during their travels.
The Cemetery at Shotts was SINKING… Apparently there’s a sign that suggests you not get killed by falling headstones. So there seems to be a high turnover for stones because they just decay after a while.
One of the coolest things LA noticed was that people seem to leave large shells on the stones. Similar to leaving coins for the ferryman, or poppies for soldiers, seashells are a symbol of Aphrodite – So it could be a show of love for those who’ve gone before… Or it could be a small offering, like flowers, to honour your family. Chinese Buddhism uses the shell as a symbol of a prosperous journey… Whatever these people meant by leave these tokens, it really adds to the beautiful of Scotland’s stones.
