Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP)
Date 27 May 2018
Event ID 1118369
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1118369
Date Fieldwork Started: 27/05/2018
Compiled by: NOSAS
Location Notes: The panel is situated on a slightly raised area of rock outcrop between a small sandy bay and the sea. There is a small natural inlet about 40m to the E. At very high tides, the sea floods the bay, and the area on which the panel sits becomes a peninsula, almost totally surrounded by water. Approximately 10m to the S of the panel, the sandy beach becomes machair which slopes gently upwards to a low rise, with traces of rig visible running N-S. On this rise, about 60m S of the panel, are the footings of a thick-walled stone, turf-covered rectangular structure with rounded ends, orientated E-W, which is thought to be a Norse house. It has a small extension at the W end, and a possible second extension abutting the E end of the S wall. There are possibly two opposing entrances towards the E end of the structure, and a large sub-circular, level field or enclosure extending from the E edge of the N entrance around the E and S sides of the structure. A number of presumably later clearance cairns are grouped near the NW end of the structure, and further traces of rig run N-S to the W. Two small lochs lie to the E and S.
Panel Notes: This large, roughly egg-shaped grey specked granite boulder measures about 3.4x2.4m and 1.8m high. It is balanced on the underlying bedrock, and is thought to be an erratic that was deposited during the last glaciation, although it is not inconceivable that it was deliberately moved to its current location in prehistory or later. The boulder has a flat N end, and slightly rounded E and W faces and upper surface, with a narrow rounded S end. There are some fine fissures and angular hollows, mainly on the E face, but it is otherwise relatively smooth. There are at least 60 circular and oval depressions of varying dimensions on all the exposed surfaces. 38 of these are large and deep, having been ground repeatedly with smaller stones. Some of the larger hollows, especially on the W face, form elongated oval shapes. In addition there are at least 22 smaller, shallow circular depressions on the E, W and upper surfaces, and up to 7 possible very shallow cups. The stone may have been used for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and some of the cupmarks could feasibly be prehistoric in origin.
