Detail of cup with two rings 

Research

 

Scotland's Rock Art Project was a research-led community co-production project. It aimed to further our knowledge about prehistoric rock art in Scotland by investigating a series of specific research questions. You can find out more about our work in our webinar here.

 

In this section you can read about our research aims and objectives. You can also find out more about how our research fits within the wider Research Framework for Carved Stones in Scotland, which addresses all types of carved stones, from prehistory to present day.

 

British prehistoric rock art has been studied for many decades. You can read about some of the recent projects that have contributed to our current knowledge on rock art in our Other Research section. 

 

Rock art is a unique part of our cultural landscape today, and we value it for many reasons. Every individual who is aware of rock art has a different sense of its value, based on their own unique experiences, memories, and associations. As well as investigating the importance of rock art for people in the past, we were very interested its contemporary value and what affects this. 

 

During the Scotland's Rock Art Project, we  investigated what rock art means to people today, and how and why we value it. We also examined how people’s sense of value changes through the ways in which they engage with the carvings. For this strand of our research, we worked closely with our Community Teams, and members of other communities across Scotland to find out their views. 

 

Our Research

Prehistoric carvings are one of Scotland's greatest mysteries. During the project, we explored three main research themes to help improve understanding of our rock art. 

 

Research Framework

Carved stones of all periods are a priceless and vulnerable part of Scotland's heritage. How should we best research, conserve, protect, and engage them? The Carved Stones Research Framework provides informed answers! 

 
 

Research Workshops

In November 2019 we ran two research workshops focusing on specific themes relevant to the project’s objectives, methods and outcomes. In this section you can download summaries of the discussions. 

Other Research

Survey and excavation around rock art panels in Britain and Ireland have made some exciting discoveries in recent years. Visit this page to find out how these projects contribute to our knowledge of rock art.