Rock Art Database

View PDF

Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

PERTHSHIRE

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Improved Pasture

Other:Improved pasture, now becoming degraded from lack of grazing

B3. Forestry

• No selection

B4. Archaeological Features within 200m / or visible from the panel

• Other rock art

B5. Location Notes

The panel is situated about 300m NE of Blarnaboard farmhouse (note that the long track to the farm is off-limits to unauthorised vehicles). The location can also be accessed via a walk of about 1 mile from Lamahamish forest car park to the NE of Gartmore village. Older photographs show the outcrop in well-grazed short turf, backed by a mature conifer forest to the immediate N. However, the forest has been clear felled and replanted and this area is now open. The rocks are currently in an area which does not appear to have been grazed for some time and as a result were almost covered by long, course moorland-type grass with much bracken encroachment in the immediate area. The Scottish Forestry boundary fence crosses the northern end of the rock, and a line of telegraph poles crosses the field in which the rocks are situated from NW to SE, with a pole about 25m to the immediate S of the outcrop. An access gate and path lead from the Scottish Forestry side of the fence a few metres to the SE of the stones and the path then continues diagonally across the field in the direction of Gartmore.

Previous Notes

NS59NW 18 5104 9799 Carvings extend over a distance of 7m on this north-east facing outcrop. There are at least 28 cups, 3 cup and one ring, 4 cup and two rings, 2 cup and three rings, 1 cup and five rings and 1 cup and seven rings. L Main 1988.

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• Fissures/cracks
• Smooth Surface

C5. Panel Notes

The panel is an 8m long outcropped ledge of sandstone orientated roughly N to S, flush with the ground. Geologically, the outcrop is a continuation of the Ruchill Flagstone Formation - a sandstone which is the same geological group as for the rock art assemblage at the Nether Glenny-Ballochraggan area, Port of Menteith, some 8km NE. The outcrop is segmented into 6 main slabs along its length. Each slab is roughly rectangular and range in width from about 0.90 to 0.65m, with the most southerly tapering off at its S end. For the purposes of this record, the slabs are described looking to SE (i.e. from the bottom of the step formed by the outcrop - the natural position from which to view the markings). The separate slabs are numbered from left to right as Rocks 1 through to 6 and are described in turn : Rock 1: 1.10 x 0.60m There is no rock art on this panel. There are some depressions with a superficial resemblance to cupmarks which are clearly natural. Rock 2: 1.50 x 0.90m 2 cups with single rings (a. cup 6x2cm with ring 12cm diam. b. cup 5cm diam with ring 24cm diam.) 1 cup with 5 rings, the outside ring is partial (cup 7x1.5cm with outside partial ring max. diam. of 52cm) Possibly 11-13 further single cups, all in the top two thirds of the stone with possibly others markings are hinted at in the lower section of the panel but this is so worn that nothing substantive now remains. The single cups on the panel range from4-6cm diam.). Rock 3: 1.80 x 0.65m 1 cup with deeply incised ring (cup 5x1.5cm with ring 12cm diam.), both cup and ring are covered with prominent peck marks 3 cups with double rings (a. cup 6x1.5cm with outer ring, somewhat indistinct, diam. 30cm b. cup 5x1.5cm with indistinct rings 26cm outer diam. c. on the right hand fragment - cup 4cm diam with outer ring ~30cm diam.), the photogrammetry model also hints that the cupmark below this might have had a single or double ring around it) 1 cup with 7 rings, the outer 2 rings being partial (cup 9cmx2cm with outer ring 40cm diam.) Possibly 22 further cupmarks on the panel ranging in diameter from 7 to 3cm and from 2cm to <1cm in depth The loose row of cupmarks, together with the cup and single ring all exhibit highly prominent and possibly deliberate pecking decoration. This is especially noticeable for the top left cup mark (7x1cm). Rock 4: 1.40 x 0.70m The top half of the left hand section of this panel has been obliterated through erosion/fragmentation. On the right hand section of rock there is a cup (4x1.5cm) with two rings (18cm outer ring diam.) 6 further cupmarks one of 5x1cm, the others from 3-4x<1cm. Rock 5: 1.30 x 0.80m There is no rock art on this panel. Rock 6: 1.60 x 0.70m Three or four tenuous cupmarks but are overwhelmingly more likely to be natural.

C6. Probability

The probability that there is any rock art on the panel is Definite

Comments

The photogrammetry model hints of at least 1 more double ring marked cup and possibly other very much more tenuous candidates for further cup and ring motifs. As is often the case there is a grey area where the counting of cupmarks becomes more subjective the more indistinct they become. There certainly appears to be more cup marks than the 28 counted by Mr L Main in 1988 and a figure of 40 has been settled upon for this record.

C7. MOTIFS

Visible Tool Marks? No

Visible Peck Marks? Yes

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

• Right to Roam access.

D2. Awareness

• This panel is known to others in the local community.

There are stories or folk traditions associated with this panel No

D3. Risk

Natural

• Large areas of the rock are covered in lichen, moss or algae.

Animal

Human

• The rock is located on/nearby a path or place where people might walk.

Comments and other potential threats

This field has been grazed in the past as evidenced in past photographs where the surrounding turf has a short, parkland appearance. However this does not appear to be the case now and currently there is an absence of grazing and the land now has a very rough appearance with long course turf found to have almost covered the outcrop. There is also a good deal of bracken encroachment, the roots of which may potentially cause some future damage to the edges and surface (if overgrowth is allowed to take place) and this would facilitate further damage via winter freeze/thaw cycles.