3D scans suggest Rob Roy MacGregor's gravestone contains much older carvings
Researchers believe the stone at Balquhidder Parish Church may have been reused from the early medieval period.
3D imaging of an elaborate stone slab at Balquhidder Parish Church in Scotland suggests the grave of Rob Roy MacGregor contains carvings from 1,000 years before his death. According to a Times of India report, the Balquhidder Graveyard Claymore Project used photogrammetry to create detailed three-dimensional models of the historic stones.
The imaging identified a cross-like design near the top of the slab that may belong to the early medieval period. Archaeology Magazine reported on November 9, 2026, that this design could depict a flabellum, which is a ceremonial fan used in Catholic religious services.
Dr Kelly Kilpatrick identified the fan-like design and noted two smaller crosses positioned alongside it. These crosses were made using a pocking and smoothing technique characteristic of early Christian sculpture.
The stone features other carvings, including a sword, tongs, and a possible hunting or herding scene, which researchers believe were added during the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries. A carved figure wearing a kilt and shield has been interpreted as a possible depiction of MacGregor, though this image may also be an adaptation of an older medieval carving.
Elaine Black of the Balquhidder Graveyard Claymore Project described the discovery in a press release on October 30, 2026, as a story spanning more than a millennium. The project is making its digital models available online for public exploration.