08/11/2018 Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP), Balnuarin of Clava NE Kerb
Event ID 1132649
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1132649
Date fieldwork started: 08/11/2018
Compiled by: ScRAP
Balnuarin of Clava NE Kerbs
Scotland's Rock Art Project ID: 3042
Panel notes: The panel is part of the complex of monuments at Clava ('Clava cairns'), well known and much frequented by visitors, with a car park and interpretation. It is located on a level river terrace to the SE of the river Nairn, in the flat bottom of the SW to NE valley. The panel itself is a kerbstone on the N edge of the NE Cairn at Balnuarin of Clava, and stands out because although similar in size to the other kerbstones it is a darker redder colour and has many deep and distinct cups. There is a hollow immediately in front of it where visitors have scraped away the earth. This panel is referenced in Canmore 14257 (Balnuaran-of-clava-north-east).
Panel notes: The panel is a rounded but flat-faced sandstone boulder 1.1m by 0.6m. 42 cups are visible, fairly evenly spaced and of varying depths, covering the whole surface. In addition, near one end is 1 cup with a partial ring. Clear curving grooves partition the panel into 3 main sections. The grooves all appear to start at the edge of the panel and move inwards, terminating without crossing the panel completely. Two grooves terminate in cups, and one cup is crossed. One of the grooves leads into the cup within the partial ring. The grooves and cups are sharp, clear and unworn and show distinct toolmarks. There is a groove around the edge of much of the panel, following the natural bedding planes in the rock. The panel is one of the ring of outer kerbstones of the NE cairn, at the N edge. No cup marks have been found on any other of the outer kerbstones of this cairn. Part of the panel is below the current ground surface. Canmore 14257 includes a photo from 1931 of the whole panel when recently excavated. Note that Canmore 14279 (SW Cairn) wrongly also includes the same photo.
