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| Canmore ID |
16128 |
SCRAP ID |
3110 |
| Location OS Grid Ref: |
NJ 15301 68386
|
Team |
Not in team
|
|
Existing Classifications
|
None.
|
| Date Fieldwork Started |
03/12/2018 |
Date Fieldwork Completed |
|
| New Panel? |
No |
|
A1. Identifiers
| Panel Name |
CAMUS'S STONE |
Number |
|
| Other names |
|
| HER/SMR |
|
SM Number |
|
Other |
|
Classifications And Periods
| Classification 1 |
Cup And Ring Marked Stone |
Period 1 |
Neol/bronze Age |
| Classification 2 |
Commemorative Stone |
Period 2 |
Period Unknown |
County
MORAYSHIRE
A2. Grid Reference(original find site)
| OS NGR |
|
|
|
| New OS NGR |
NJ |
15301 |
68386 |
| Lat/Long |
57.69728 |
-3.42263 |
| Obtained By: |
GPS
|
A3. Current Location & Provenance
| Located |
- Moved from original location
- Re-located
|
| other |
Believed to have been erected to commemorate a battle. |
| Accession no. |
Not given |
B1. Landscape Context
| Weather |
Sunny
|
| Position in landscape |
Bottom of hill |
| Topography(terrain within about 500m of panel.) |
Flat |
| Aspect of slope (if on sloping terrain e.g. S, SE etc.) |
|
B2. Current land use & vegetation
B3. Forestry
B4. Archaeological Features within 200m / or visible from the panel
B5. Location Notes
Camus's Stone is situated on the S side of a field, opposite Inverugie House. The field slopes gently to the S and the stone is at the bottom of the slope on the E/W axis. The field is fenced and a ditch running along its S side. Camus's Stone lies close to the fence, where it is overhung by branches from the beech and oak trees growing on the other side of the ditch.
Previous Notes
NJ16NE 24 1529 6838
(NJ 1529 6838) Camus's Stone (NR)
OS 6" map, Morayshire, 2nd ed., (1906)
This stone is said to have been erected to commemorate the victory of Malcolm II over the Danes, whose leader 'Camus' was killed (L Shaw 1882 and H B Mackintosh 1924). This stone is associated with the village Kaim or Keam - also believed to retain the name 'Camus' (L Shaw 1882). The foundation for this appears to be the historian Buchanan. It is thought to come from the Gaelic - a bay, crook, bend or elbow - applied due to its shape. It is a slab of quartzose micaceous schist, common in the locality, whose sides measure 5ft 3ins and 20ins. Its maximum height is 5ft 9ins. There is no recollection of its association with other stones. Camus Stone (H B Mackintosh 1924 and PSAS 1907)
L Shaw 1882; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1907; H B Mackintosh 1924.
This stone is as described above. The well preserved grooves on its north face appear to be natural. Some field stones are heaped at the base of the stone.
Visited by OS (W D J), 19 September 1963.
Photographs of the N face of the stone clearly show two sets of carvings, each comprising a cup within up to five concentric rings, and between these, a group of cup-marks.
Information from A Park and K Toon, January 2005.
NMRS, MS/2280.
C1. Panel Type
| In the landscape |
Standing stone monument |
|
C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation
Dimensions of panel (m to one decimal place)
| Length (longer axis) |
|
Width |
1.7 |
| Height (max) |
|
Height (min) |
2.1 |
Approximate slope of carved surface
Orientation (Aspect e.g. NW)
| Rock Surface |
N |
Carved Surface |
N |
Carved Surface |
|
C3. Rock Surface
| Surface Compactness |
Hard
|
Grain Size |
Coarse
|
Visible Anomalies |
Nodules
|
Rock Type |
Sandstone
|
C4. Surface Features
- Fissures/cracks
- Natural Hollows
- Bedding Planes
- Weathering Channels
- Smooth Surface
C5. Panel Notes
Camus's Stone is a slab of sandstone rock containing many pebbles- some quite large upto 6cm diameter. It probably originates from Burghead Beds. The pronounced Karst weathering on the top of the north face suggest a high lime content (there are known old lime quarries on the crest of the nearby hill). The stone is in an upright position assuming a standing stone style. It is 1.7m wide and 2.1m high. The N facing side contains deep fissures; one visually cutting the rock in two, from top to bottom. On the E side of this fissure is a cup and 5 ring motif, and on the W side a rosette of 5 cup marks. After photogrammetry an additional cup mark and possible partial spiral could be seen on the right hand side of the stone. A large weathered channel has possibly eroded the right hand side of this motif.
C6. Probability
The probability that there is any rock art on the panel is
Definite
Comments
Rosette of cupmarks had a cupmark in the centre but no ring around it. The possible cup and spiral motif on the right only became noticeable when looking at the 3D model. Even then, it was still nearly impossible to see in the field.
C7. MOTIFS
Cup and Rings
|
|
1
|
Rosette
|
|
1
|
Other carvings and motifs
|
|
1
|
Visible Tool Marks? No
Visible Peck Marks? No
D1. Access
- Panel is on Private land.
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 Yes
D3. Risk
Natural
Animal
- There are cattle near the rock.
- There are other significant animal threats.
Human
- The rock is located on/nearby a path or place where people might walk.
Comments and other potential threats
The close proximity of the overhanging trees could be a potential risk if they are blown down.
The field is used for grazing horses at present and known to be used for cattle. There is a flimsy electric fence around the stone but it was switched off at the time of our visit. It has been observed that the stone has been used to hang horse tack and accessories on it, in the past.
