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MHG8972 - Cup marked stone in a wall - Druim Mor (2), Swordale

Summary

A cup marked stone which has been incorporated into a field wall. In D Scotts 2012 survey of the area this stone is number two.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NH56NE 18 576 659.

NH 576 659. Cup-marked Stone, Swordale: There are 24 cup-markings on exposed face of this slab which is now built into a field-wall. The slab measures 0.8m by 0.5m; the cup-markings measure up to 70 mm in diameter by 20 mm in depth.
RCAHMS 1979, visited 1978. <1>

The stone was photographed by a member of the Highland Regional Council in the 1980s. <2>

Cup-marked stone at NH 5764 6594 is as described above, situated at the wall base on the SW side.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (J B) 24 Feburary 1981.

The stone was photographed during a photographic survey of multiple cup mark stones at Druim Mor by L A Robertson, a member of the Highland Regional Council in August 1987. <3> <4> <5>

The stone was also photographed by R B Gourlay in 1987 as a part of the survey undertaken at that time. <6>

The stone was photographed by A Clark in 2010 whilst he was visiting the area to record the Druim Mor Chambered cairn. <7>

The stone was photographed again in 2012 as a part of D Scotts survey of all of the cup marked stones at Druim Mor. <8>

This panel was recorded as part of the ScRAP (Scotland’s Rock Art project) by members of NoSAS in April 2019. The panel lies on the lower southeast facing slopes of Swordale Hill overlooking Strathsgitheach. It is situated at the bottom edge and west facing side of a dry stone wall, which lies at the west end of a large field of rough grazing and immediately to the east of a newly planted field of (Christmas) conifer trees. There is a new post and wire deer fence immediately (1m) to the west of the stone wall which makes finding and observation of the panel difficult. The panel can be found about 15m south of a small gate and 15 N of the east-west fence line at the bottom of the field. A telegraph line runs north-south with poles some distance to the north and south of the stone. Although the panel may have been moved in order to use it as a foundation stone for the wall, it sits out of line (70 degrees WSW) with the rest of the wall so is likely to be in its original position. The panel is part of the wider group of archaeological monuments scattered across the hillside of Swordale Hill, including a deserted settlement, chambered cairn and cup marked stones, most of which are protected within the Scheduled Monument 4945 Drumore, Farmstead, field system, chambered cairn and cup marks. This panel lies to the southwest of the Scheduled area. It has been recorded previously and a report lodged with Highland Council under the HER number MHG 8972.

The panel is a roughly rectangular stone measuring 0.9m N-W by 0.5m. The flat surface is covered with 24 cups of varying size. The cups are scattered over the whole surface of the panel but several of the cups on the lower part of the panel are larger and deeper than the ones higher up the panel. <9>

Sources/Archives (9)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5764 6594 (10m by 10m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH56NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KILTEARN

Finds (0)

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Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (2)