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Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP)
Date 19 July 2018
Event ID 1118899
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1118899
Date Fieldwork Started: 19/07/2018
Compiled by: ScRAP
Location Notes: The panel is situated in a field of improved pasture on the SE facing hillslope, on a rocky knoll on the NNE edge of a low ridge running WSW-ENE, which falls away markedly more to SSE than NNW. The field rises gently WSW up to a saddle and up to a low summit to the NNW. There is a cluster of carved panels on the same knoll within about 10m of Townhead 6, including Townhead 7 (Canmore 63917, ScRAP 718) and Townhead 8, which have been recorded by the Kirkcudbright Team, and Townhead 9-12 which were not relocated and are presumably buried under thick turf. There are at least 20 carved rocks in the same field (Townhead 1-26) located mainly on outcropping rock along the low ridge.
Townhead 6 was previously recorded in Canmore separately in two parts, although these carved areas are clearly the same stretch of outcrop and are recorded here as one panel. Morris records Townhead 6 as Townhead 3A and 3C, whilst Naddir et al records it as 7e and 7f. Part of Townhead 6 (previously Townhead 3A) is grouped with Townhead 7 (previously Townhead 3B) in the earlier Canmore record (Canmore 63915). Confusingly, it is also grouped in the same Canmore record with all the other panels within this cluster (i.e. Townhead 6-12; previously Townhead 7a-h). Even more confusingly, part of Townhead 6 (previously Townhead 3C) is recorded separately as Townhead A (Canmore 63917, ScRAP 718). Moreover, the north-western section of Townhead 6 is also recorded as Townhead 3G by van Hoek and Townhead 7g by Naddir et al, although it is clearly part of the same panel (Townhead 6).The ScRAP recordings have created individual records for distinct panels, and cross-referenced them with the previous Canmore records and panel numbers.
Panel Notes: This is a long area of exposed greywacke bedrock, mainly under 8-10cm turf and segregated by wide turf-filled fissures. A carved area to the NW of the panel was located on the first visit but was not uncovered on the second visit and remains under thick turf.
There are three sections to the recorded panel, which measures a total of 3.9m long and 1.8m wide with an almost horizontal surface at ground level:
The largest, eastern section (2.5x1.8m) is divided roughly into four parts by fissures. It has a series of elongated hollows running along its long axis, and slopes very gently to N and NE. The cup and ring carvings on this section are very faint, where as some of the cups are more pronounced. The motifs include 2 cups each with 3 complete or partial rings, 1 cup with 3 rings (or ring and spiral) and a double radial, and 1 cup with 2 rings and a radial. There are also 2 cups with partial rings, at least 3 dumbbell motifs, 1 conjoined cup, 4 sets of cups joined by grooves and at least 24 cups of varying sizes. There are also numerous peckmarks, particularly around the cups with rings and radials, which they appear to partially erase or superimpose.
To the W of the larger section are two smaller sections separated by turf (recorded as Townhead 3C by Morris and van Hoek, and 7f by Naddir et al, and as Townhead A in Canmore 63917). The carvings on both these sections are very clear and have well-defined tool marks. The first section features a cup with 2 rings, and a cupmark. W of this is a slightly larger triangular section with 2 cups with 3 rings and a radial. These two motifs are also connected by a second radial.
