Gwynedd Museum, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, Tel: +44 01248353368
The Llantrisant Stone is from the post Roman period (circa 6th Century). It is unusual in as much as the inscription is longer than similar gravestone inscriptions from the post Roman period (in fact it has the longest obituary notice from Britain), but it is also unusual for commemorating a woman. Albeit that most of the text refers to her husband, probably a priest or bishop. The stone helps to demonstrate that there was an organised church in 6th Century Anglesey and that it was not unusual for priests to be married.
The text has been translated thus: IVA (?...INA), A MOST HOLY WOMAN LIES HERE, WHO WAS THE VERY LOVING WIFE OF BIVATIG(IRNUS), SERVANT OF GOD, BISHOP (?PRIEST), AND DISCIPLE OF PAULINUS, BY RACE A ….DOCIAN, AND AN EXAMPLE TO ALL HIS FELLOW CITIZENS AND RELATIVES BOTH IN CHARACTER (AND) IN RULE OF LIFE, (AS ALSO) OF WISDOM (WHICH IS BETTER) THAN GOLD AND GEMS (OR GOLD FROM STONES)
Nash Williams. Early Christian Monuments of Wales
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Review Llantrisant Early Christian Stone in Wales.
