Rock Art Database

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Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

MIDLOTHIAN

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Urban/Garden
• Rough Grazing

Other:Park

B3. Forestry

• No selection

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

• Hillfort

B5. Location Notes

Located on Blackford Hill, 65m SW of the Triangulation point, there are carvings on a rock shelter found on the steep side of the remains of hillfort. The rock shelter is SSW facing with wide views of Braid Hill and Craiglockhart to the W and the path below, which is the best point of reference to find this site, as it is hidden on the steep slopes.

Previous Notes

NT27SE 606 2537 7061 Rediscovered by a member of the public on a SW facing slab of bedrock below the summit of Blackford Hill, c70m SW of the OS triangulation point, there is a carving of a deer. Measuring 11cm in length, it has horns approximately 4cm long. Information provided by S Fraser. Information from RCAHMS (DE) 3 April 1996. NT 2537 7061 A site visit and survey was initially carried out in July 2002, with a further visit in August 2004, to the site of a carving of a deer on a SW-facing slab of bedrock below the summit of Blackford Hill. The original NMRS entry (NT27SE 606) only described a deer carving, however, closer examination revealed a humanoid figure, possibly representing a hunter. The deer carving is very prominent compared to the human, but the latter is definitely pecked from the rock using the same technique as the deer. The deer is 145 x 107mm; the horns are 47mm and 45mm long. The human `hunterø figure (which is 21mm to the left of the nose of the deer) is 17 x 68mm, with legs 30mm long. It appears to be holding a weapon of sorts on its left side, possibly a representation of a bow and arrow, this being 37mm long. M Wilson 2005

Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, rock carving Measurements: deer H 0.11m, L 0.15m Stone type: Place of discovery: NT 2545 7064 Present location: on rock face Evidence for discovery: photographed in 1996 on the vertical SW face of a small rock shelter on the S side of Blackford Hill below the fort (ID 52558). Present condition: clear pecking marks. Description The outline of a deer with antlers is carved by rough pecking, and no attempt has been made to smooth the groove. Only two legs are clearly shown. The suggestion has been made that there is also a faint figure of a hunter in front of the deer. There is also a modern graffito of 1994 on the S face of the rock. Date: seventh century? References: DES 6 (2005), 62. Desk-based information compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• No selection

C5. Panel Notes

The carving is found 0.18m from the most westerly point of a chunk of the crag, stepping along from the alcove of the fire shelter, which is 1.37m and 0.72m in aperature. It is a carving of a deer (13 x 11cm), with large swooping antlers and is likely to be historic in date.

C6. Probability

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

Comments

Vertical panel rock carving of deer. Very indistinct human figurine with bow and arrow placed to left of deer.

C7. MOTIFS

Visible Tool Marks? Yes

Visible Peck Marks? No

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

• Right to Roam access.

D2. Awareness

• Panel was known before the project.
• 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.
• There are shrubs growing on the rock surface.
• There are trees nearby whose roots might disturb the rock.

Animal

Human

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

Comments and other potential threats

Threat of weathering.