Pictish Woad Z-Rod Tattoo Design hawk marking the onset of Ragnarök

marking the onset of Ragnarök

taken from the opening page folio 29r of the Saint Matthew's Gospel in the 9th century illuminated manuscript

" In conversations with an excellent patriotic client I came up with the idea of rendering it in a skeletal form

that is linked into an epaulette of knotwork that curves to fit the shoulder

symbols of love and faith

Pictish Woad Z-Rod Tattoo Design hawk marking the onset of RagnarökThis z rod and double disc is from the Dunnichen Pictish symbol stone, currently on display in Forfar, Angus, Scotland. The pattern appears on many carved stones found across Scotland, and this one was probably carved in the 7th century. The way it is rendered, with a combination of line and "woad blue" dots, makes it come alive in skin. Some scholars have theorized that it is the symbol of agriculture, one tip of the Z is a grain seed, the other tip