The above branding idea came from an Alternate Reality Game I wrote back in 2010/11 called
Missing Wallace it was based upon a Pictish Symbol Stone found in Abernethy, Scotland, UK. The original stone looks like this:
The description and history:
Abernethy 7th century Class I Pictish stone with incised symbols: a 'tuning fork', blacksmith's hammer, anvil, crescent & V-rod. The trimmed & reused stone was found in the foundations of a house. It has been placed against the wall of 11th century round tower beside the churchyard gate. Dark Age site associated with a vanished Pictish monastery, the compiling of the Pictish king-list & the return of Irish clergy to Pictland in the 9th century after Viking raids.
This stands below the Round Tower by the gate to the church. It was found in the village in the foundations of a house and was then set in the wall of the house,and moved to it's present location probably 1950s. It lost its top and bottom when it was trimmed to fit its former location.
In my game, the stone gives the user great power and in reality archaeologist's and historians supposedly do not know what it is to meant to signify.
My Theory
V-rod
The V-rod represents the Cup considered to be a feminine element or it just means there will be beer here, however upon actual research there is not much actual evidence to prove that. The Internet is pretty sparse on that subject unless you think The Da Vinci Code book is fact.
Crescent Moon
Is this perhaps a time of the month when the Picts get together or it is a time of the month when women are most likely to conceive children or both?
Tuning Fork
Does this mean a piano tuner will be on hand to tune your stones or does it mean there will be music?
Hammer & Anvil
A place to fix to your horse shoes (they date back to 400 BCE), or a place to leave your horse whilst you attend the Pictish party?
Dating App (Slab)
Was this stone originally placed as some sort of early dating app or place to meet other liked minded individuals who just want to PARTY!
Side Note
I was recently watching the 2018 BBC series Civilisations and in the first episode they are showing the Spanish caves where some of the first cave paintings were found. They also found musical instruments made out of animal bones and a spinning rectangle. The narrator said that this was obviously a sacred place. The acoustics in caves would have created a perfect environment to play music, there were large open areas and some smaller areas. To me that suggests the perfect first night-club, open areas to dance and small ones to get better acquainted. Will later historians view today's night-clubs as sacred spaces too I wonder?
