Inscribed stone in Athlone,athlone AND Bigmeadow

In National Museum of Ireland. Worn rectangular panel with a bearded man wearing a long fur-trimmed mantle over a tunic. His right hand holds a ?pleated purse which may be suspended from his neck and his left hand is outstretched holding an animal which looks like a badger but has been described as a rat (Joly 1881, 62-3). It has a very worn inscription: E R/ PETRVS/ LEWYS. Dims. H 67cm, W 49cm (Bradley et. al. 1985, 31-2). Compiled by: Rachel Barrett Date of upload: 04 October 2010

Dated to the 9th–10th century AD, this stone is likely of Viking origin, depicting a Norse figure in typical attire. Such inscribed stones may have served as memorials or markers of territorial presence.