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MHG5346 - Cup marked rock, Bernera Farm

Summary

An outcrop of rock bearing a large number of cup marks.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NG82SW 4 8055 2110.

(Area: NG 805 212). A cup-marked stone, with some of the cups connected by channels, is situated a little NW of Iomair nam Fear Mora. It is a large slab of natural rock by the side of a small hazel wood on the right of where a gate crosses the road to Kyle Rhea.
M E M Donaldson 1920. <1>

At NG 8055 2110, at the base of a large flat-surfaced piece of rock outcrop are at least twelve small, shallow cup-marks, one pair joined together in a barbell shape, and five grooves, approximately six inches long.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 5 October 1966.

John and Trina Wombell submitted further information about this site. The outcrop sits above and to the W of the arable fields of Bernera Farm as shown on the current 1:25,000 OS map, within and on the E edge of an old woodland enclosure, predominantly Hazel and Willow showing evidence of coppicing a long time ago. The rock is of a hard flaky type not recognised by the present recorders. The outcrop slab is orientated ESE, tilting in that direction at c22 degrees from the horizontal, and all the cups and grooves on it face ESE. There are 46 cups still in evidence some well formed, others tiny and very weathered. 4 of these cups are linked in pairs to form 2 bridles. There are also 4 grooves varying between 15cm and 20cm in length, all running down-slope. The exposed part of the outcrop measures c15 m E/W and c 4m N/S. Only the lower S part of the outcrop is decorated, over an area c 3.5m E/W x 4m N/S. A ruinous enclosure wall runs N/S c 2m E of the base of the exposed outcrop. The S side of the exposed outcrop may have been quarried to build the enclosure wall but there is no evidence of either drilling or blasting. The presence of this decorated slab in proximity to the two cairns on the nearby back beach at Bernera is most probably significant. No other decorated stones were found in the immediate area. <2>

The positions of the cups in the submitted photos are marked by orange painted wooden 'buttons' as are the tops and bottoms of the 4 grooves. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 80570 21110 (10m by 10m) (Surveyed)
Map sheet	NG82SW
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	GLENELG

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