The ancient stone that was used to crown Scottish monarchs for centuries
A man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to smash the protective glass case around the Stone of Destiny at Perth Museum, sparking a swift evacuation of the building.
Eyewitnesses reported that the man, dressed in a kilt, tried to break into the stone's display around 2pm on Saturday, July 12.
Police arrived promptly, and a 35-year-old man was arrested and later charged in connection with the incident. There were no injuries reported, and crucially, the stone itself remained unharmed.
A spokesperson for Culture Perth and Kinross told the BBC: 'We can confirm there was an incident at Perth Museum where a man was arrested. Perth Museum was evacuated as a precaution and there was no damage to any artefacts on display. We are assisting Police Scotland with their inquiries.'
The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone (pronounced 'skoon'), is one of Scotland's most treasured national symbols, and steeped in myth, history and royal tradition.
Weighing 150kg, the ancient sandstone slab has served for centuries as the seat upon which Scottish monarchs were crowned.
Originally known by its Celtic name Lia Fáil, meaning 'the speaking stone', the stone was believed to reveal or confirm the rightful king.
The stone's origin is wrapped in legend. One ancient tale says it is the very rock used as a pillow by the biblical figure Jacob in the Book of Genesis. That stone, the story goes, travelled from the Middle East to Egypt, then Spain, before arriving in Ireland.
From there, it was brought to Scotland by early settlers and used in the crowning of kings. Other theories link it to the Roman Antonine Wall or ancient tribes in Antrim.
It was first used in the crowning ceremonies of the kings of Dalriada, the early Gaelic kingdom in the west of Scotland, now known as Argyll.
When Kenneth MacAlpin, the 36th King of Dalriada, unified the Scots and Picts around 840 AD, he moved his royal seat to Scone in Perthshire, and brought the stone with him.
From then on, all Scottish kings were crowned on the Stone of Destiny, which sat atop Moot Hill at Scone Palace. The stone remained in Scotland until 1296, when it was seized by King Edward I during the Wars of Independence and taken to Westminster Abbey.
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There, it was fitted into a specially crafted wooden throne and became an enduring symbol of English rule over Scotland, used in the coronation of English, and later British, monarchs.
One of the most famous episodes in its history occurred in 1950, when four students from Glasgow University broke into Westminster Abbey and returned the stone to Scotland. Though eventually recovered and returned to London, the incident reignited calls for the stone's permanent repatriation.
That call was finally answered in 1996, when the UK Government returned the stone to Scotland. It was placed in Edinburgh Castle before being transferred in 2023 to its new home at Perth Museum, where it is the star exhibit.
It was last used in May 2023 during the coronation of King Charles III, continuing its role in British royal ceremonies more than a thousand years after it was first used in Scotland.
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