Rock Art Database

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Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

MORAYSHIRE

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Urban/Garden

B3. Forestry

• No selection

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

• No selection

B5. Location Notes

This stone was originally found at Clackmarras (NJ 246 584) and then moved to Strypes Farm (NJ 27810 58398). The owner of Blackhills House saw it being used as a gatepost and came to an agreement with the farmer to exchange it for another gatepost, in order to move it to Blackhills House, where he used it as a feature in his garden. The Blackhills House stone is located in a small, enclosed garden area 25m W of Blackhills House. It has been lime mortared to a circular base, which may have been used previously as a mill/grinding wheel. It stands within a six pillared, circular, roofed shelter. The pillars are possibly granite agricultural rollers. Another circle, approximately 18m in diameter, of 16 upright, agricultural rollers encircles it, giving the appearance of a contemporary stone circle.

Previous Notes

NJ25NE 4 2700 5864. An incised and cup marked stone, originally found at Clackmarras (NJ 246 584) is now preserved in the grounds of Blackhills House (NJ 270 586) The stone is a quartzite block 4'9" long by 16" broad by 12" thick, which tradition says was once considerably longer, several feet having been broken off what is now the lower end. The north face is almost entirely covered with cup-marks arranged in irregular diagonal rows and varying in breadth from a maximum of 3". A natural fissure crosses this face diagonally. On the east face an area 30" long has been hollowed out to a rough level by pocking and on this a pocked groove forms a double spiral. The whole of the south face has been similarly dressed and on it appears a crescent, with horns 14" apart, and five cup-marks. The west side of the stone bears only a deep diagonal groove, 10" long. The crescent and spirals are deduced to be later than the cup-marks, probably contemporary with each other and show probable Irish influence. F R Coles 1907; C A Gordon 1958. This stone, as described and illustrated is preserved at NJ 2700 5864 under cover in the garden of Blackhills House. Visited by OS (A A) 6 May 1971. No change since report of 6 May 1971. Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (J B) 5 October 1976.

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• Fissures/cracks
• Smooth Surface

C5. Panel Notes

This upright, rectangular quartzite stone measures 1.4m x 0.6m x0.5m. The main cup marked surface faces to the N and the second surface with cupmarks faces S. A natural fissure extends, diagonally, from the top of the N facing side to 2/3 of the way down. This face is almost completely covered with carvings. It has 56 single cupmarks, the largest being 7cm in diameter and 2cm deep. There is also a cup and single ring; 3 pairs of conjoined cups; 2 wide grooves and 3 combination motifs, consisting of cupmarks and grooves. The S facing surface has 4 cupmarks, 3 at the top of the stone and 1 just above a crescent motif. The whole of the flat area of this surface has been pecked. The E face has also been pecked and a double spiral motif is present. This motif has a very 'fresh' clear appearance and is facing the gateway to the garden area. The W face has only a natural, deep groove.

C6. Probability

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

Comments

There are 3 motifs which are a combination of cupmarks and grooves. One is a vertical line of 3 cupmarks joined together with grooves. Another is a group of 3 vertical cupmarks connected in a line by grooves and the bottom cup mark is connected by a groove to 2 horizontal, joined cupmarks. The third is a large 'kidney shaped' cup mark joined to a cup mark below it with a curved groove. The pecking on the S face, may be later and contemporary with the crescent, rather than the cupmarks, as the surface of the E face has also been pecked in the same way. A double spiral motif is carved on this E facing side.

C7. MOTIFS

Visible Tool Marks? No

Visible Peck Marks? Yes

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

• Panel is on Private land.

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

• No selection

Animal

Human

• No selection

Comments and other potential threats

Being situated in a private garden and under cover, this stone would appear to be in a threat free environment. The owners are responsible custodians of the stone and are amenable and welcoming to requests to visit it.