Rock Art Database

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Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

ARGYLL

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Rough Grazing

B3. Forestry

• No selection

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

• Other rock art

B5. Location Notes

The standing stone named Torbhlaran 4 lies in probably its original context in the landscape. It is situated in flat, arable land used for rough grazing. The rock is situated 10m W of the road and can be seen from the roadside. It is easily recognisable as the only standing stone remaining at Torbhlaran, although there are other fallen standing stones in the immediate area that have been been moved, including Canmore 39544, which is currently used as a footbridge over the burn on the W edge of the field. Torbhlaran 4 is 40m SE of the carved outcrop at Torbhlaran 3 (ScRAP 3275, Tiger Rock). At least two other carved rock ourcrops lie in the same field; Torbhlaran 1 (Cub Rock, Canmore 39543, ScRAP 3256) and Torbhlaran 2 (Lion Rock, Canmnore 39543, ScRAP 336), both at least 150m to the W of Torbhlaran 4. There are wide and panoramic views from Torbhalran 4 of the surrounding area, including mountains either side of it, and a small farm cottage around 60m to the S. There is also an audible stream around 600m to the SW.

Previous Notes

NR89SE 3 8639 9449. (NR 8640 9449) Standing Stone (NR) OS 6" map (1924) This standing stone measures 6'4" x 4' x 9", with slightly tapering sides. Its S face is marked with at least 30 cups, mostly very low down; there are 5 cups, one with a ring and radial gutter, and 2 longitudinal ridges on its N face. M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964 Generally as described, the N face of the standing stone bears only ten cup marks. Resurveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (DWR) 7 May 1973 NR 8639 9449. This standing stone is 2.1m high, 1.2m broad and 0.15m thick. Its S face bears upwards of 30 cups and the N face upwards of 9 cups. The rings, radial gutter and longitudinal ridges (2) were not identified. Surveyed at 1/2500. Visited by OS (TRG) 17 March 1977 This standing stone is situated about 450m NNW of Torbhlaran farmhouse in an arable field immediately NW of the public road from Kilmichael Glassary to Ederline (Campbell and sandeman 1964). Aligned with its long axis NW-SE, it rises with slanting sides to a flat top, and measures l.2m by 0.l5m at the base and 21m in height. There are up to thirty cupmarks on the SW face and a further nine on the NE. About 570m to the SW there is what may be a fallen standing stone which measures 3.4m by 0.8m by 0.2m; it lies in an arable field S of the public road on the W bank of the River Add, and has been reused as a bridge over a ditch. Visited May 1985 RCAHMS 1988

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• Fissures/cracks

C5. Panel Notes

Torbhlaran 4 is a (now) solitary standing stone measuring approximately 2.1m high, 1.1m wide, and 0.3m thick. It is orientated with one face to the NW and the other to the SE. The panel is fine grain schist with a hard compactness. The surface is relatively smooth with a few fissures and cracks, although the E face has a distinct triangular indentation running down its long axis. There are cupmarks on both surfaces, and these are located mainly on the lower part on both sides. Overall there are at least 58 small cup marks. The E face has fewer cupmarks - at least 20 of varying size, including one or two that may have very faint rings - and these are more scattered over the surface. It is possible that this surface was carved on natural bedrock before the stone was quarried and erected as a standing stone. The W face is flat ans smooth and is carved with at least 38 cupmarks, all clustered at the base of the stone below a horizontal fissure except for one cup with a faint possible partial ring. It is possible that more carvings lie beneath the current turf-line. There is also a possible cupmark on the S face of the stone. Two 3D models were created of the standing stone; one of each side. These can be viewed at the following links: W and S faces of the standing stone: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/torbhlaren-standing-stone-w-s-faces-kilmartin-8092f0c94b6a438fa0a122134bb08f92 E face of the standing stone: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/torbhlaren-standing-stone-e-face-kilmartin-7214c511c3654e91b2f58a7c82414534

C6. Probability

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

Comments

58 definite, 5 possible to probable, also possible faint rings around at least one cup

C7. MOTIFS

Visible Tool Marks? No

Visible Peck Marks? No

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

• Right to Roam 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 No

D3. Risk

Natural

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

Animal

• There are sheep near the rock.

Human

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

Comments and other potential threats

No comments added