Rock Art Database

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Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

ROSS AND CROMARTY

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Urban/Garden
• Wood/Forest

B3. Forestry

• No selection

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

• Other rock art
• Field System
• Settlement
• Enclosure

B5. Location Notes

This prominent rock juts out from the steep SW-facing slope of the N side of Strath Rusdale. The strath, running NW-SE, has the Black Water river at its base, with flood meadows on either side. Then, on the N side of the flood meadows, there is a strip of higher cultivable land before the open moor starts leading up to higher ground. This panel is in the garden of Dalreoich, a lived-in house, that faces SE down the strath in the strip of cultivable land. There is a vegetable garden to the E of the house, then a woodland of broad-leaved species, planted about 30 years ago. The panel occupies the borderland between garden and woodland. The homeowner says that before the trees grew up there were extensive views from the rock along the strath in both directions. Now the view down the strath to the SE, that includes many other pieces of rock art, is obscured by the new woodland. Below the NW aspect of this jutting-out rock, and densely covered with grass and other vegetation, are the footings of an old structure, possibly a building that used the rock as its back (SE) wall. The footings are 3m NW-SE, 3.5m SW-NE, 0.6m wide and up to 0.2m high. There are currently 5 other existing panels of rock art (Dalreoich 1-4 and Dalreoich 6) within a 1km radius of this stone, and a seventh stone in the strath that was destroyed in living memory. Higher up the strath, at Braeantra, is a Neolithic chambered cairn and an undated stone circle. There are extensive pre-and post-improvement settlement remains in the strath.

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• Weathering Channels
• Rough surface

C5. Panel Notes

This is an outcrop in three layers jutting out from the slope on the NE side of Strath Rusdale. The diamond shape rock is 3.5m ENE-WSW x 1.9m WNW-ESE. The WSW end of the panel is prominent above the ground, standing 1.8m above the slope with the opposite end merging into the slope and covered in grass. There are two ledges or platforms in steps underneath the top panel surface, slightly further out from the leading ENE edge. The overall effect is of a large jutting almost-horizontal platform above the slope of the valley. The cups are in two main groups, with one outlier, 15 in all. The main top flat panel of the rock contains 10 cups at the SW part of the main rock surface as it stands proud of the slope. The central one of the 3 cups at the SW edge of the main panel is deeper than the other cups. These 10 cups are in two groups, with an outlier on the NW part of the rock surface. There is a close group of a further 5 relatively shallow cups on a flat rock ledge below the southern edge of the teardrop. The uneven rock surface is hard, compact schist with garnet nodules in it, with two slight fissures running E-W across the surface.

C6. Probability

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

Comments

No comments added

C7. MOTIFS

Visible Tool Marks? No

Visible Peck Marks? No

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

• Panel is on Private land.

D2. Awareness

• No selection

There are stories or folk traditions associated with this panel Yes

D3. Risk

Natural

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

Animal

Human

• No selection

Comments and other potential threats

No comments added