, depicting Daniel in the lions' den and interpreted in local folklore as Vanora, wife of King Arthur, being fed to wild beasts in punishment for her enforced infidelity. About one third of the stones in the museum are Class II in nature (stones with symbols carved in relief and usually bearing a Christian cross). Most of the stones date to the 9th or 10th century AD and were intended as tombstones. The monuments are likely to have been worked with iron tools such as chisels, punches and hammers, together with hammerstones and wooden mallets.
Meigle 1 is a cross-slab. The cross is
Greek in style, with full circles at each of the four handles between the shaft and the arms.
Meigle 2 stands nearly high. It has a cross on one side and depicts
Daniel in the lions' den on the other. The form of the head of the cross is possibly based on that of a
jewelled metal cross and is unique. The projecting boss at the centre of the cross has eight smaller bosses around it that probably symbolise the eight days of
Passion Week running from
Palm Sunday to
Easter Sunday inclusive. Meigle 2 was originally located on the east side of the northern entrance to the churchyard, opposite Meigle 1, and in front of a mound identified in local folklore as Vanora's Grave.
Meigle 3 dates to the 9th century AD. One side has a cross, with a part of a Pictish double-disc symbol to the left, below the arm. Meigle 3 is a low gravestone and the warrior may be a portrait of the deceased person. The stone was cut shorter at least twice in antiquity, its original height may have been . Animals are carved on either side of the top of the cross, with their heads curving up to bite two animals forming the frame of the design. Each quarter of the background contains a single beast. The cross is decorated with a diagonal key pattern. It has a shallow slot in the top and sculpted panels on both long sides. It was a carved rectangular panel depicting a horse pulling a carriage bearing a driver and two passengers, the monument also showed a crouching archer and several beasts.
Meigle 13 was a piece of a broken cross-slab, now lost. Another fragment of the same monument was built into the old church and was destroyed in the fire. It was a small cross-slab. The stone demonstrates stylistic affinities with early hogback stones from the
Glasgow area.
Meigle 26 is an exceptionally fine recumbent gravestone. The left and right borders are marked with interlace patterns that end in birds' heads at one end, at the other end animal jaws open to frame a hollow slot. The end of the stone is carved with a manticore and a human figure.
Meigle 27 is a piece from a cross slab and depicts a figure sitting in a chair, with his servant sat on the floor behind him.
Meigle 28 is the bottom piece of a broken cross slab, it has a horizontal base panel filled with a spiral pattern, and two vertical panels filled with a diagonal key pattern.
Meigle 29 is a fragment depicting two clerics, one of whom appears to be sitting on a chair. The more complete of the two figures has two shoulder brooches holding the folds of his clothing.
Meigle 30 is a fragment carved with a coiled beast.
Meigle 31 is the upper portion of a cross slab, with interlace pattern flanking the head of the cross.
Meigle 32 is a fragment from a cross slab, containing the left arm of the cross and part of a panel containing spiral patterns.
Meigle 33 is a fragment of sculpture with a circular pattern. It is of later date than the rest of the stones in the museum.
Meigle 34 is a carved fragment with a scroll engraved on it. ==See also==