While the existence of fragments from the sandstone block returned in 1951 have been known – an inch-sized piece was gifted to Alex Salmond by Sir Neil MacCormick and was kept at SNP headquarters – it has not been widely appreciated that there are potentially more than 30 in existence.

Professor Sally Foster, from the University of Stirling, is painstakingly collating the history of as many of the pieces as possible, some of which were “hidden in plain sight”. She said they formed a fascinating new strand in the centuries-old history of the Stone of Scone.

A search is under way to trace up to 30 missing fragments of the Stone of Destiny - the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings. The pieces were separated from the artefact when it was secretly repaired following its famous removal from Westminster Abbey in 1950 by nationalists students.

A researcher is exploring the mystery of small fragments which were separated from the ancient Stone of Scone.