Wroxeter Stone facts for kids
The Wroxeter Stone is a special stone found in 1967. It was discovered in Wroxeter, England. This place used to be a big Roman city called Viroconium Cornoviorum. The stone has old writing on it. This writing is in an ancient language. It's a type of Celtic language. Experts at UCL say it's "partly-Latinized Primitive Irish." This means it's an old Irish language with some Latin words mixed in.
It was even featured in a book called A History of Ireland in 100 Objects. It was listed as object number 21. In that book, it was called the Cunorix Stone. Today, English Heritage looks after the stone. In 2017, it was not on public display.
Contents
The Wroxeter Stone: A Mystery from the Past
What is the Wroxeter Stone?
The Wroxeter Stone is a very old piece of rock. It was likely a gravestone that was used again. It has an important message carved into it. Scientists believe the writing was made between 460 and 475 AD. This was many years after the Romans left Britain. At that time, Irish groups had started to settle in places like South Wales. They also settled in the southwest of Britain.
What Does the Stone Say?
The words on the stone are very old. They are written in a special way. Here is what the inscription looks like:
- CVNORIX
- MACVSM/A
- QVICO[L]I[N]E
Experts usually read these words as:
- CVNORIX MACVS MAQVI COLINE
Decoding the Ancient Words
When translated, the inscription means: Cunorix son of Maqui Coline
Both "Cunorix" and "Maqui Coline" are personal names. The National Museum of Ireland has a slightly different idea. They translate the inscription as: "Hound-king, son of the tribe of Holly." The name "Cunorix" might be connected to the name of Cynric of Wessex. He was a king in the 500s.
