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MHG41549 - Cup marked stone - Chambered Cairn, Mulchaich

Summary

A cup marked stone, forming part of the peristalith or kerb at Mulchaich Chambered Cairn.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Alcaig Manse (A S Henshall 1963). This cairn, of uncertain type, is overgrown and considerably robbed. It is c.55 ft. diam. With a now rather intermittent peristalith of heavy boulders of which one on SE segment has about 15 cups, one of these being 7" across and 2 ins deep. <1>

An illustration of the cup marked stone that forms part of the kerb of the chambered cairn was forwarded to the HER in November 2010. <2>

The chambered cairn was surveyed in April 2011 using plane tables by members of the North of Scotland Archaeological Society. The position of the cup marked stone is shown on the survey plan, linked to this record. <3> <4>

This panel was recorded as part of the ScRAP (Scotland’s Rock Art project) by members of NoSAS in October 2017. The cup marked rock forms part of the inner kerb of a scheduled chambered cairn (SM 3145). The cairn is situated in rough grazing in a gently undulating field currently grazed by sheep. The general aspect of the field is northwest and the cairn has extensive views northwest across the Cromarty Firth towards Ben Wyvis. The cup marked rock is on the south side of the cairn and faces south. Several houses are located to the south, west and north of the field. About 100m north of the cairn, at a lower level, there is a marsh, around which are the remains of a former 18th century distillery. The distillery and chambered cairn are occasionally visited by the public.

The panel is a roughly triangular south facing flat sandstone slab which leans into the slope of the cairn at an angle of 60 degrees from the horizontal. The stone measures 1.26 x 0.8 x 0.3m thick above ground level. A potential threat is a prominent fissure in the upper part of the stone which appears to be causing a flake to separate from the stone. The panel has 2 dumbells and 19 cups, 8 of which are over 6cms in diameter with one, in the centre of the panel, measuring 18cms diameter. <5>

NGR adjusted based on 2018 vertical aerial photographs. <6>

Sources/Archives (6)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5766 5679 (8m by 9m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH55NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	URQUHART AND LOGIE WESTER

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (3)