The figures have gradually come to light since the early 19th century and have been much illustrated and discussed. Most or all were reused as building blocks in the church. One figure (3) was found as recently as 1958, and more may remain hidden. The figures are impressive in scale, in their powerful modelling, and in the individuality of the faces, despite an overall similarity. All stare fixedly forward. Eyes are usually round and brown prominent, mouths small, hands and feet very small. Most wear the long tunic with bottom hem and sometimes front seam, familiar from manuscript and metalwork illustrations of churchmen. The style of carving may have its roots in the pagan post, but there is no doubt that the figures are Christian and carried Biblical messages. Sockets in the heads and rough stumps under the feet suggest that the stones were structural members, to be set into something and support something else on their heads. The problem is to imagine how they were used, either singly or in pairs. Possibilities include structural supports in a church, in a large preaching pulpit, in a substantial shrine, or in the internal fittings of a church. They are unlikely to be earlier than the major figure-carved high crosses, and the 9th and 10th centuries are likely, before the abandonment of the wooden church. The figures were clearly of no interest to the builders of the Romanesque church, who used them simply as building stones. NISMR No.: FER 173:002 Monument Type: Early Christian figures

Metadata	Information
Source	The Discovery Programme
Contacts	Mr Anthony Corns Technology Manager The Discovery Programme 63 Merrion Square Dublin D2 Dublin Dublin Ireland +353 1 639 3039 +353 1 639 3710 info@discoveryprogramme.ie The Discovery Programme
Copyright Credit Line	Copyright © The Discovery Programme
Europeana Rights	Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (BY-NC-ND)
Spatial	White Island
Protection Type	National Monuments in State Care Northern Ireland
Start Date	400
End Date	800
Period Name	Early Christian Period
Materials	Stone, quartzite
Heritage Asset Type	Carved figure