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Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP)
Date 20 November 2019
Event ID 1118939
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1118939
Date Fieldwork Started: 20/11/2019
Compiled by: Killin
Location Notes: The panel, at 238m asl, lies 3m to the W of the main building (Building 1 on the 1996 GUARD survey plan) of the ruined late 18th-century steading of 'Lower Larches'. There is rubble to its immediate E, between the panel and the building, but no clear evidence that it had been part of the building's structure, although this is quite possible. However, without intrusive investigation, it is equally possible that the panel is in its original location; the decoration is on its upper surface.
The steading lies within an area of rough grazing comprising a broad and locally undulating terrace of till deposits between approximately 200–250m asl, on the lower slopes on the S side of Ben Lawers. Generally the terrace slopes slightly to the S and SE before the ground drops more steeply down to Loch Tay. There are extensive views in all direction, although that to the N is largely obscured by two large larch trees 10m to the N. Loch Tay is not visible, although this may be obscured by a distant line of trees to the S. The steading is situated on the S side of a slightly raised area of till deposits surrounded by lower and wetter ground. The Allt a' Choire Chireinich burn flows south 85m to the ENE; smaller watercourses lie to the N, S and W.
Another carved stone (Cragganester 7) is indicated on the survey plan ('groove marked stone') 25-30m to the S, at the SE corner of Building 2. Both stones are included in Canmore 72166, which also covers the farmstead and a corn drying kiln. There is a broad distribution of rock art in the surrounding landscape, including a cupmarked rock (Craggenester 5, ScRAP 652, Canmore 291747) 110m to the SW, and a cup and ring marked stone (Cragganester 8, ScRAP 1380, Canmore 291752) 180m to the NNE; to the immediate NE of the latter is an undated turf hut stand (Canmore 291755). The panel lies within a Scheduled Monument: SM6168, "Cragganester, farmsteads, field systems, shielings and roadways, N of".
Panel Notes: The panel is a subrectangular erratic schist slab measuring 1.5m long (NNW-SSE) by 0.6m wide, and up to 0.3m high at its S end. Before cleaning it was largely covered in moss. It has a generally flat upper surface which slopes down at approximately 10 degrees towards the S, and variably steep–vertical sides. There is a shallow concave depression towards its NW corner. The stone is hard, with a medium grain, but no visible large inclusions or banding.
There is an irregular cluster of 4 large cupmarks, 70-90mm in diameter, in the NW quarter of the panel, among which are 3 smaller cupmarks, 50-60mm in diameter. There are a further 7 (or 8) cupmarks of comparable small size on either side of a crack to the S. There is also a lanceolate notch on the western edge of the panel. A number of areas bear what appear to be random peck marks, both on the decorated surface and on the S end of the W side, although these may be natural in origin.
