Rock Art Database

ALLT THORRISDAIL 2

View PDF
Canmore ID 368358 SCRAP ID 3306
Location OS Grid Ref: NC 66577 61816 Team Not in team
Existing Classifications None.
Date Fieldwork Started 03/12/2019 Date Fieldwork Completed
New Panel? Yes  

Section A. CORE INFORMATION

A1. Identifiers

Panel Name ALLT THORRISDAIL Number 2
Other names
HER/SMR SM Number Other
Classifications And Periods
Classification 1 Cup Marked Stone Period 1 Neol/bronze Age
County
SUTHERLAND

A2. Grid Reference(original find site)

OS NGR
New OS NGR NC 66577 61816
Lat/Long 58.52396 -4.2927
Obtained By: Mobile Phone

A3. Current Location & Provenance

Located
  • At original location
Accession no. Not given

Section B. CONTEXT

B1. Landscape Context

Weather Sunny Intervals
Position in landscape Hillside
Topography(terrain within about 500m of panel.) Sloping
Aspect of slope (if on sloping terrain e.g. S, SE etc.) SE

B2. Current land use & vegetation

  • Moorland
  • Bog/Marsh

B3. Forestry

  • No selection

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

  • Other rock art

B5. Location Notes

This is the larger of a pair of panels readily visible on slightly raised ground at the W end of the broad E-W strath of the Allt Torrisdail. It is close to the bend where the Allt Torrisdail changes course from N to E. The open strath is boggy moorland bounded at the N and S by rocky outcrops. This panel is mentioned on Canmore 5795, along with Allt Thorrisdail 1.

Section C. PANEL

C1. Panel Type

In the landscape Boulder/Slab

C2. Panel Dimensions, Slope & Orientation

Dimensions of panel (m to one decimal place)
Length (longer axis) 4.2 Width 3
Height (max) 2.8 Height (min) 0
Approximate slope of carved surface
30 degrees degrees
Orientation (Aspect e.g. NW)
Rock Surface Carved Surface SE Carved Surface

C3. Rock Surface

Surface Compactness Hard Grain Size Medium Visible Anomalies No selection Rock Type Schist

C4. Surface Features

  • Fissures/cracks
  • Natural Hollows
  • Weathering Channels

C5. Panel Notes

The panel is a large boulder of schist, 4.2m x 3.0m x 2.8m high, of varying composition and including bands of needle-like crystals (amphibolite?). There are about 30 cup marks, many badly weathered. Two are high on the rock. About 21 (including two elongated ones) are on the main carved surface, sloping to the SE, and about 8 others are on two ledges lower down. There is one cup under an overhang in the rock at its SW side. There is a channel from one of the larger cups where water has flowed down, and a small area of indistinct graffiti. The surface of the boulder is weathered and rounded and it is likely that some, at least, of the cups are natural, or have been enhanced by weathering.

C6. Probability

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

Comments

It is likely that some at least of the cups are natural, or have been enhanced by weathering.

C7. MOTIFS

Cupmark
cupmark_1
28
Groove
groove_6 groove_8
1 2

Visible Tool Marks? No

Visible Peck Marks? No

Section D. ACCESS, AWARENESS & RISK

D1. Access

  • Right to Roam access.

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.
  • Water will pool deeply on parts of the surface.
Animal
  • There are sheep near the rock.
Human
  • There is graffiti (paintings and/or carving) on or near the rock.
Comments and other potential threats

Some initials carved rather faintly on one part of the rock