Dr Elisabeth Niklasson explores the Stone of Destiny's place in modern Scottish politics.
Stolen by an English king in 1296, retaken by young Scottish nationalists 654 years later, broken, returned and repeatedly declared a fake, the Stone of Destiny has had a remarkable political life.
Once used to inaugurate Scottish kings and later incorporated into British coronation ceremonies, this rather ordinary-looking block of sandstone continues to stir controversy. But why does it matter so much?
In this talk, Dr Elisabeth Niklasson explores the Stone’s place in modern Scottish politics, from its dramatic removal from Westminster Abbey by Scottish nationalists in 1950 to its return to Scotland in 1996 and the controversies surrounding the coronation of Charles III in 2023.
Drawing on research with Professor Sally Foster at the University of Stirling and her own project ‘Materialising Nationhood in Contemporary Scotland’, Niklasson explores how disputes over the Stone’s authenticity and rightful home continue to shape its political significance.
Image credits: (Top)The Stone of Destiny. © 008-000-025-621-R Historic Environment Scotland. (Bottom) The return of the Stone of Destiny to Edinburgh on 30 November 1996, with a person in the crowd holding up a sign questioning its authenticity. Photograph by Mathieu Polak, @Sygma/Getty Images.
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