Rock Art Database

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Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Classifications And Periods

County

KIRKUDBRIGHTSHIRE

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

B2. Current land use & vegetation

• Improved Pasture

B3. Forestry

• No selection

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

• Other rock art
• Settlement

B5. Location Notes

The panel is located in an undulating field of improved pasture on the NW side of a low ridge of outcropping rock running SW-NE. There are further areas of carvings on the same outcrop to the SW of High Banks 1 which are recorded here as High Banks 2-6, and there may well be more carvings beneath the turf. Overall, the carvings occur over a 30m length of the outcrop. There are also other outcrops in the same field and adjacent fields - some with known carvings and others that may well have carvings on them. This panel is grouped with High Banks 2-6 under Canmore 64442 but is separated from these panels by several metres of turf. High Banks 1 was originally recorded as High Banks 1b by Morris and High Banks B7-12 by van Hoek. The outcrop has been quarried extensively on its NW side, and an interpretation panel has been placed in the quarried area. The field is uphill and SE of High Banks Farm where the is carparking and a sign to the rock art. There is a small forestry plantation about 50m to the SW and a marshy area 150m to the SSE. There are extensive views to the coast and hills to the SW, to Cairnsmore of Corsharn to the NW and Bengairn to the N.

Previous Notes

NX74NW 43 70910 48950. (NX 710 490) Several groups of cup-and-ring markings occur on an exposure of rock 1/4 mile SE of High Banks 97' long facing WNW, and running NNE-SSW (see illustrations, which show three of four casts of parts of this rock which are in the NMAS). The rock is situated 40 yds from the SW wall, 150 yds from the NE wall. 3yds W of the summit of the knoll on which these marks are situated are two lines of 4 and 5 cups respectively. RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; R W Feachem 1963; R W B Morris and D C Bailey 1967 The above cup-and-ring marked rocks were located at NX 7091 4895. Surveyed at 1/2500. Visited by OS (RD) 18 January 1971 About 10m SSW of the main group of inscriptions is an isolated cup and two rings, 11cm in diameter and broken off at the rock's edge. It slopes 33 to the S. Some 250cm W of the main group of engravings is an outcrop sloping 4 degrees N with a cupmark surrounded by three very faint rings and some eleven small cups. Only 320cm W of quarry is an outcrop sloping 5 degrees N having a cup and two incomplete rings and two single cups, one of which has faint traces of two rings. A complete ground plan of the whole site will be available shortly. More carvings have been noted recently. M A M Van Hoeck 1986.

One of the best displays of prehistoric rock art in Galloway, this rock sheet, about 30m long, bears several groups of cups and cups-and-rings. Some of the ringed cups are set within a fIeld of massed simple cups, and their outer rings are widely spaced. The greatest ring diameter is 0.45m. Casts of this remarkable pattern are exhibited in the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright, which also houses cup-and-ring marked slabs from Blackmyre (NX 497570) and Laggan (NX 5453). Information from ëExploring Scotlandís Heritage: Dumfries and Gallowayí, (1986).

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

C3. Rock Surface

C4. Surface Features

• Fissures/cracks
• Natural Hollows
• Weathering Channels
• Smooth Surface

C5. Panel Notes

This long carved greywacke outcrop measures about 6.0 x 1.1m and rises to a maximum height of 0.6,m above ground level on the NW side, but is flush with the ground on the NE and SE sides. The surface is highly textured with longitudinal and diagonal fissures, some forming diamond or V shapes, as well as natural hollows of various shapes and sizes, and weathering channels. Many of the motifs intersect with natural features and with the undulating shape of the rock surface. The overall surface is fragmented into numerous small areas of exposed rock, separated by deep turf-filled fissures or areas of deep-rooted turf. Several of these exposed surfaces are carved and have been recorded here as High Banks 1A-1F, corresponding to van Hoek's High Banks B7-12. High Banks 1A: Situated at the NW end of the outcrop, measuring 2.3 x 0.7m and 0.2m high and sloping gently the ENE. The are 3 possible cups along the NE edge. Further to the SW there are 2 cups with 2 rings (1 with a cupmark in its outer ring), and 1 cup with 3 rings and a short radial Further SW again there is 1 cup with 3 rings and a cup. The outer rings in all cases are partly obscured by turf and very faint (only evident in the 3D model). Only part of this panel was recorded by van Hoek (as High Banks B11). High Banks 1B: Located to the SW of 1A, this a roughly rectangular area of exposed outcrop measuring 1.7 x 0.7m and bounded by the vertical quarry face on its NW side. The surface is roughly horizontal, dipping slightly to the W in its W corner and to the E in its E corner. The motif are faint and eroded. There are at least 9 cups of varying dimensions (0.35-0.6m diameter), 3 cups with 1 ring, 1 cup with partial ring, 3 cups with partial rings and radials, and 1 cup with 2 rings (the outer ring is partial and has a short radial). Recorded as High Banks B10 by van Hoek. High Banks 1C: Located immediately to the SW of 1B, this is a roughly rectangular area of exposed outcrop split by a turf-filled fissure, and measuring about 1.9 x 0.8m, almost flush with the ground. The surface is slopes gently to the NW and NE. On the NW most part of this panel (recorded as High Banks B9 by van Hoek) there are 2 cups, one with a possible partial ring and groove, 1 cup with 1 ring, 1 cup with an ovoid ring (possibly 2) created by grooves which intersect with a cup with 3 partial rings, and 1 cup with 4 rings, a double radial and spiral 5th ring that intersects with a natural channel. There is possible superimposition and erasure evident in the 3D model. Immediately to the S is an area of outcrop carved with 1 cup with a radial, at least 16 other cups assembled in 3 clusters, and a network of faint intersecting linear and curvilinear grooves (van Hoek's High Banks B8). High Banks 1D: Located immediately SW of 1C, this is a rectangular shaped area of outcrop just below the brow of a small knoll, measuring 2.0 x 0.7m, rising to 0.6m above the ground and sloping at about 30 degrees to the NW. The carvings are mainly concentrated on the W side of the panel, adjacent to High Banks 1E. There are 7 cups, the largest being 7cm diameter and 1.5cm deep, and one with a possible partial ring, and 1 cup with 2 rings. Recorded as High Banks B6 by van Hoek. High Banks 1E: Located to the N of 1D and W of 1C, this is a rectangular area of outcrop bounded by turf, measuring about 1.3 x 1.0m, almost flush with the ground and sloping gently to the NW. Part of the panel appears to have been damaged by quarrying. The motifs are very eroded and their complexity can only be seen in the 3D model. They include four parallel rows of cupmarks, with several cups merged together by wide grooves. In addition there are several thinner curvilinear grooves intersecting with each other and one of the cupmarks. The interconnected arrangement of the grooves is similar to that on panel 1C, immediately to the E. High Banks 1F: Located to the WNW of 1A, on a shoulder of the outcrop at the edge of the W quarried face. This is a small oblong area of exposed outcrop measuring 0.28 x 0.1m, dropping 0.4m vertically on it W face and flush with the ground on the other faces. The surface dips slightly and slopes to the NNE and NW. There are chisel marks from quarrying on the W face. On the upper surface there is 1 cup with 2 rings. The outer ring intersects the edges of the rock on two sides and also connects with a groove that partially surrounds another cup. Recorded as High Banks B12 by van Hoek.

C6. Probability

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

Comments

3 possible cups on High Banks 1A, 3 or 4 more possible cups on High Banks 1B

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.
• There is and interpretation on site.

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

• Water will pool deeply on parts of the surface.

Animal

• There are sheep near the rock.
• There are cattle near the rock.

Human

• There are quarries nearby.
• The rock is located on/nearby a path or place where people might walk.
• This panel has been estimated to be seriously at risk of being damaged or destroyed.

Comments and other potential threats

A comparison of 3D models from casts taken in the early 20th century and in the field in 2018 shows clear erosion in this 100 year period. The panels are in a very exposed position and are continually being trampled by livestock including cattle - a fence to keep the cattle off the rock art would help. The site receives regular visitors, some of whom remove turf covering the motifs.