As historic stone objects go, you wouldn’t think that a 335-pound block of dull sandstone would attract much attention. When it comes to heavyweight relics, the Rosetta Stone or one of Cleopatra’s Needles is far bigger and arguably better known around the world.
Nevertheless, Scotland’s Stone of Destiny has justly secured its own place in history, for this hefty chunk of rock is more than an artifact from ancient times: It is a sacred icon, a trophy of bloody war and conquest, and a political lightning rod. And for thousands of years, it has played a hallowed role in the making of kings and queens, the symbolic bedrock upon which monarchies have been built.
More recent research has shed new light on the stone’s legendary origins, which may take away some of its mystery. But science can’t diminish any of its lively history, nor its power as an object of reverence and tradition. Here’s what we know about the Stone of Destiny.
