Rock Art in Kirkcudbrightshire

Jennifer Roberts has kindly submitted this item describing the experiences of the Kirkcudbright Rock Art Group.

The term rock art refers to marks and symbols that have been engraved or painted onto natural rock surfaces. In the UK engravings on rocks generally occur in the North of England and Scotland. One third of all known prehistoric rock art in the UK is found in Scotland. Almost all prehistoric carvings in Scotland are ‘abstract’ symbols, or motifs. The area around Kirkcudbright has a large concentration of prehistoric carvings. These motifs do not represent anything recognisable to us, consequently they are known as abstract rock art.

In September last year Dr Joana Valdez-Tullett gave a talk to the K.H.S. about the Scottish Rock Art Project (ScRAP) The website can be found at www.rockart.scot This is an informative website with an associated database that has been recently set up to record all the rock art sites in Scotland. The area around Kirkcudbright has hundreds of such sites. Rock art has been a sadly neglected area of academic research in the UK. Until recently the majority of sites had been recorded by dedicated and knowledgeable amateurs. In the Kirkcudbright area sites were recorded mainly by F.R.Coles in the nineteenth century and by Ronald Morris and Maarten van Hoek in the twentieth, and as such are recorded on Canmore, the database for Historic Environment Scotland. Many of these sites had been recorded in a detailed and careful way, but as there was no common recording method or a recognised way for doing this the records are not suitable for inputting on a database. ScRAP hoped to rectify this and provide a database that would have the information recorded in such a way that it was useful for research. To this end ScRAP have devised a generic way to record the sites. Each site in Scotland would be recorded systematically with a common written and photographic record. The photographic record will include a 3D image using photogrammetry. ScRAP also hopes to find and record new sites.

Although similar carvings occur throughout the Scotland, the north of England and Western Europe no one knows why these intriguing carvings were made, although there are many theories, some more outlandish than others. It is not known for certain when they were carved, although it is thought that most in the Kirkcudbright area, with the exception of those Trusty’s Hill, date from the Neolithic to Early Bronze Age, so are between 6000 and 4000 years old.   By far the most common type of carved symbol is the cupmark – a roughly circular hollow in the rock surface. Cupmarks are often surrounded by one or more concentric rings, and these motifs are known as cup and ring markings. Also common in this area are carved linear motifs, or grooves. There are also a wide range of variations on these simple motifs, such as rosettes (a circle of cupmarks surrounded by a ring), or pennanulars (a central cupmark surrounded by one or more incomplete rings). In some of the motifs it is possible to see tool marks, known as peck marks

Many of the carvings in this area are in situ, but some have been reused in buildings and in dykes. Some are also visible on the megaliths of Cairn Holy.

Dr Valdez-Tullett asked for volunteers to get involved in this fascinating project, as a result a few people volunteered and formed the Kircudbright Rock Art Group and after several training sessions we were sent off on our own.

It seemed easy enough. The recording sheet is fairly self explanatory, (or so we thought). How difficult could it be to brush off a rock, count a few carvings and take a few photographs.

It was a steep learning curve.

Perhaps we made the mistake of beginning in the winter. Battling with recording sheets in stormy conditions, chasing equipment down muddy fields as it took off in high winds, discovering waterproofs were not waterproof in driving sleet and that one set of thermals did not offer enough warmth at the top of a hill in minus temperatures. …. but when the sun came out a shaft of light burst through the clouds and lit up one of the newly cleaned panels of rock, lighting up the previously unseen carvings, it was a magical moment.

How many people have tried to count carved cups and circles on a rock? It is not as easy as it might be thought, even on a sunny windless day. Some of the rock panels have dozens of cups. Another problem. When is a cup not a cup? We have not come to a consensus yet and still have heated discussions about the carvings.

Curious cattle proved to be another unforeseen problem. Now we wait until the field is empty or full of sheep.

Finding the carved panels has been a challenge in some areas as we have found that the grid references as recorded on Canmore are not always as accurate as they might be.

In this area the carvings usually occur on either rocky outcrops or on bedrock which is near the surface, but is now covered with turf. The recent dry weather has been useful in showing us were sites might be (the grass dying in the shallow soil), as we have found several panels which would otherwise have remained hidden and unknown.

We have not solved the 3D image problem. We have the photographs but none of us has a computer powerful enough to cope with the programme we need to make the photogrammetry image.

One aspect the sites do have in common are the stunning views. Many of the panels overlook either the sea or the Dee Estuary, and most although not all, are situated within the landscape to have the maximum outlook in all directions.

It is even more important than before that these sites are recorded and photographed. Just recently a change in farming practice has meant that many of these sites are in danger of being lost forever as farmers bulldoze out the rocky outcrops on which many of these carvings occur, in order to improve their land. Some have already been lost.

The Kirkcudbright Rock Art Group urgently need more volunteers to help us record these enigmatic sites. If you are interested in getting involved either in the field or with 3D imaging, please contact Lisa at lisa.allen1269@gmail.com or contact us through the ScRAP website.

Most of the sites in this area are on pasture, so volunteers do not have to walk far. They just need to have walking boots, thermals and waterproof waterproofs and a sense of humour. We usually go out for half a day once or twice a week, but it is not necessary to go out on every session. We will train any new volunteers.

This has been an immensely satisfying project to be involved in.

N.B. There were delays in implementing the ScRAP website so our work has yet to verified and put on for public viewing