Monday, 29 November 2010

Unknown Stones

The city, having evolved to its current state over many centuries, contains many signs and signifiers, artifacts and arrangements which encode the events of the urban story and which can be understood by anyone who possesses the key to the code. Sometimes the key is apparent, often it is not. A good example of this type of artifact is Aberdeen's system of boundary stones  - the March Stones - which we've been exploring over the weeks and months.

All of the March Stones are hidden in plain view, but sometimes they are difficult to see. That's partially because our modern perception is simply not focussed upon estate boundaries; we've no need to know of rights of way along free byways and waterways or any other feudal concerns. During the psychogeographical process of exploring these boundary markers we had to learn where and how to look, where to direct our cognition so that we could locate the artifacts.

So, once we had those eyes switched on (as it were) - once we'd directed our consciousness towards ancient boundaries and how they might be marked - we coincidentally found other stone marks and markers, signifiers of past property or infrastructure and not registered on the council's reference pages.

Enigmatic "S" - Any ideas?
Ferryhill Road

Rosebank boundary stone and wall
Rosebank Place

"D" (for Devanah?)
Whinhill Road

These three artifacts are within easy striking distance of Other Aberdeen Towers in the upscale heart of downtown Pitmuxton, so other neighbourhoods around town are likely to be similarly strewn with artifacts which signify their bypassed past.

By their nature, and signified by the fact that they have survived into the modern era, these artifacts are off the beaten track - tucked away in corners, overlooked and forgotten; their significance now obscure. There are bound to be many others similarly tucked away, waiting for us - or you - to find.

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