A bird of prey, commonly interpreted as an eagle sits on a flowering branch, which it grips with its large talons. It may be
holding something in its curled up right foot, or it may be lifting its foot in preparation for flight. The runic inscription
in the border is illegible, but has been read erroneously as both ‘Caedmon made me’ and ‘Colman made me’. Gerard Baldwin Brown
read it as FAUŒTHO.
This stone was placed the wrong way round by Henry Duncan, and was originally paired with the archer (who may be taking aim at the
eagle) on the east face. The eagle is a common symbol of Christ, and the eagle and tree together may symbolize Christ and the Cross.
As it bends to give up the body of Christ, the cross describes itself as ‘wounded with arrows’ in the poem inscribed on the left
border of the south side.
