Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Cup And Ring Marks

Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Cup And Ring Marks

Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Cup And Ring Marks
Cairnbaan
Lochgilphead
Argyll
Scotland
PA31 8SQ

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E-Mail: hs.members@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Web: Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Cup And Ring Marks

About Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Cup And Ring Marks

Mysterious marks

Among the archaeological riches in Kilmartin Glen is an extraordinary array of prehistoric rock art. The designs take the form of cup-marks, cup-and-ring marks, spirals, stars and linear grooves, often densely covering large expanses of rock face. Apart from the occasional axe, the art is not representational – there are no human or animal figures. Similar prehistoric rock art is found in Scotland from Galloway to Shetland, and in Ireland, Brittany and NW Spain.
Many people have tried to read a symbolism into these cup-and-ring marks, but we can only speculate about their original significance. Such rock art is difficult to date, but it is also found in archaeological contexts such as tombs. It is clear that the potential date range is very long, from about 3500 to about 1000 BC. The Kilmartin Glen rock art, including that at Cairnbaan, is likely to be around 5,000 years old.

Rock art at Cairnbaan

Four of the exposed rock surfaces at Cairnbaan are decorated. The complexity of the decoration varies between these surfaces. Many of the cups (circular hollows) are surrounded by one or more rings, and there are some fine examples of multiple rings. Additional gutters (grooves) radiate out and downwards from some of the cups.

Highlight

•The view – admire the panorama and contemplate the Neolithic people creating these puzzling designs 5,000 years ago.