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MHG8926 - Cup Marked Stone - Strath Sgitheach Allt Na Criche (1)

Summary

A cup marked stone (A) at Strath Sgitheach Allt Na Criche.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NH56SW 13 522 630.
Centred around NH 522630 are 8 cup marked rocks ('A' - 'H').
'A' is a boulder measuring 3.1m x 1.9m x 0.6 m high with at least fifteen shallow cup marks on its upper surface. NH 5220 6292
'B' a large block 3.6m x 1.8m x 1m maximum height. It is largely earth-covered. It has 23 cup marks on its two outer edges. NH 5213 6298
'C' a boulder 1.8m x 1.2m x 0.6m high with six cup marks. NH 5212 6297
'D' boulder 2.4m x 1m x 0.6m high with 7 small shallow cup marks. NH 5126 6296
'E' small boulder 1.1m x 0.7m x 0.3m high with 2 probable cup marks. NH 5201 6298
'F' a boulder lying close by has 7 shallow cup marks upon it. NH 5201 6301
'G', a boulder, 2.8m x 1.5m x 0.6m, lying on bank of a stream, has probably slipped from its original position due to erosion. It has 6 extremely shallow cup marks on its upper surface. NH 6196 6324
'H' is a slab 2.2m x 1.3m lying flush with ground; it has 3 probable cup marks on its surface. NH 5247 6295
Surveyed at 1:10 000. Visited by OS (J B) 16 November 1976

8 outcrops of rock with shallow cup-marks.
RCAHMS 1979, visited September 1978

This panel was recorded as part of the ScRAP (Scotland’s Rock Art project) by members of NoSAS in August 2018. The panel lies on the lower slopes of Cioch Mhor to the north and overlooking the Abhainn Sgitheach to the south and views to the Cromarty Firth to the south. This cup marked rock is an outcrop and one of several scattered around a small knoll with the remains of a dry river bed to the norhteast. The river bed may have been part of the Allt an Criche which still flows to the northeast. The knoll is to the northeast of a much braided track from the Sgitheach in the southeast to Cioch and Mhor and Ben Wyvis to the northwest. There are a group of cup marked rocks and outcrops around the knoll, the majority to the north and west of the Scots pines. Strath Sgitheach has many prehistoric monuments, hut circles, chambered cairns and more groups of rock art. There are also signs of continuous cultivation into recent times with rig and furrow near the knoll. The area is presently rough grazing used by a few sheep and deer and it is likely that there is some game shooting. The knoll has a scatter of very old Scots pines and is partly grass and heather with some bracken around the outcrop.

The panel is an outcrop measuring 3.10m east-west by 2.10m and up to 0.70m high, sloping to the southeast. There are 18 cupmarks scattered across the upper surface of the outcrop, mainly on the north section with a single cupmark on the southeast edge. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5222 6291 (9m by 9m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH56SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	DINGWALL

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