Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP)
Date 30 April 2018
Event ID 1118753
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1118753
Date Fieldwork Started: 30/04/2018
Compiled by: ACFA North Glasgow
Location Notes: The site of this enormous stone is N of Helensburgh, and can be reached by a footpath running Northwards through Ardencaple Wood, and alongside Glenann Burn. This burn flows generally in a NNW to SSE direction, but turns a little more to the W just before the site of the rock, which is situated in a cleared area in the wood. The rock sits on a number of smaller but still substantial boulders, with Glenann Burn lying immediately to the W of it. The route of the foot-path continues in a N - S direction, and the rock is some 10 m to its W, . The course of the burn is c. 1 m below the ground on which the boulder rests, and on its W side a fence runs almost due N. An interpretation panel is close to the footpath, and SE of the rock. Otherwise, the previous notes from Canmore appear generally accurate.
Panel Notes: The stone has 4 sections, having been shattered by an explosive (the drill holes for which are still quite obvious). Each section has clearly visible marks, though the fourth section has one possible cup. No rings could be spotted on the panel by the naked eye, but became evident in the 3D image. In addition, there are signs of graffiti damage. The whole boulder lies on top of other smaller boulders, and there has been some speculation that it may have served as a capstone, perhaps for a shelter. However, any space beneath the boulder has been largely filled in by soil, and is quite inaccessible. The overall rock has a length of almost 6 m and a width approaching 5 m. It has a maximum height of 1 m, and resting on other boulders at it is, it has a height above ground level of 0.5 m. The orientation of this sandstone rock is N - S, as is the carved surface. It has a smooth and rounded appearance. There is a total 24 cup marks noted, but with no conspicuous pattern to them.
It was not possible to create a single model for the entire panel, so there are separate models for each of the 4 sections:
Drumfad 1: https://sketchfab.com/models/071e2271e64e40178776fae9b144ac53
Drumfad 2: https://sketchfab.com/models/9574293eeab34f63a4729aaaf786ef9a
Drumfad 3: https://sketchfab.com/models/c2509acac0b84762b99f21a42932f4ee
Drumfad 4: https://sketchfab.com/models/b68b238f2cbb48e4923838feaf3a3437
