On Wednesday 15th February, Professor Sir David Wilson will talk about his latest research into the Manx crosses as part of University College Isle of Man’s History & Heritage lecture series.

There are around 200 sculptured stones on the Isle of Man, many of which were carved between 450AD and 1050AD.

These stones tell a fascinating story. They are almost the only contemporary evidence of the life of the Island from its conversion to Christianity in the fifth century until its disruption with the arrival of settlers from Scandinavia.

Only a few excavated settlement sites and unfurnished graves survive to tell the story of the Isle of Man during these centuries. The only other evidence comes from a handful of passing references to the Island by contemporary chroniclers from around the Irish Sea.

Not all of the monuments are highly decorated, although many of them are finely carved. Some are inscribed, and by carefully unpicking these texts a remarkable story of the early history of the Island emerges, as the Island grows into a significant player in the religious politics of the region. Particularly interesting are the connections with Christian communities from Northumberland to Ulster, by way of the Western Isles of Scotland and Galloway.

Some of the earliest stones have bilingual inscriptions in Latin and Gaelic, engraved in two scripts, Roman and ogam. The ogam alphabet was used by the native inhabitants of the west of the British Isles from the end of the Roman period. These inscriptions tell the story of the earliest Manx converts to Christianity.

Former Director of the British Museum and world-renowned expert on the Viking era, Prof. Sir David Wilson will attempt to shed new light on these ancient monuments, exploring what the Manx crosses and their inscriptions can tell us about the Isle of Man during this period, and placing the Island into its broader Christian and Irish Sea context.

‘New Light on the Manx Crosses’ will take place in the Lecture Theatre at Elmwood House (behind the St John Ambulance Centre, off Glencrutchery Road) at 6pm on Wednesday 15th February. All are welcome, and no booking is required.

If you’re unable to attend the lecture, you can watch the event being streamed live on the University College Isle of Man Facebook page. A video of the lecture will also be made available online at a later date.

Further details about the History & Heritage lecture series, together with videos of last year’s lectures, can be found online.

Photo - Professor Sir David Wilson