Dun Mor A Chaolais, Tiree
Natural Feature (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Dun Mor A Chaolais, Tiree
Classification Natural Feature (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Millton
Canmore ID 21492
Site Number NM04NE 16
NGR NM 08307 47576
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/21492
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Tiree
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM04NE 16 083 476
For adjacent broch (NM 0832 4767), see NM04NE 1.
NM 083 476. Cup-markings, Dun Mor a' Chaolais: About 27m to the W of the broch, on the edge of a low rock outcrop, there are at least seven plain cup-markings, disposed in an irregular pattern, the largest being about 80mm in diameter and 25mm deep.
RCAHMS 1980, visited 1974.
Field Visit (4 June 2017 - 9 June 2017)
NM 00574 44816 A brief field survey of rock outcrops on Tiree, some of which had been previously identified as displaying rock art, was undertaken, 4–9 June 2017. Nine new sites were discovered, some containing up to 11 single cup markings. These were at Cnoc Fhoirnegail, Cornaigbeg; two at Cadruim, Balemartine; four new sites at Ceosabh,
Heylipol; Cnoc mhic Ailein, Kilmoluag; Carnan Mòr, Ben Hynish; and West Hynish. Most of these are in the W end of the island. Cup markings previously noted at Dùn Mòr a’ Chaolais, Caolas, (Canmore NM 083 476), were confirmed. Photogrammetry proved an extremely useful diagnostic and recording tool. At Cnoc Bhiosta we recorded 32 cups on the E outcrop and about 8 on the W outcrop. A more extensive survey is planned for the summer of 2018.
Archive: NOSAS
John Wombell – North of Scotland Archaeological Society
(Source: DES, Volume 18)
Note (29 May 2018)
Date Fieldwork Started: 29/05/2018
Compiled by: NOSAS
Location Notes: Called Acarsaid an Duin on the 1st edition OS map. The dun is crossed by a dyke and has an OS concrete trig point on its summit. 100m due S of this trig point, on the rocky S facing slopes of the hill, a large rough slab of gneiss rock slopes steeply down. In the centre of this slab is a cup shaped depression. There are extensive views of the pasture fields below the hill, and the sea 150m away. Dun Mor a Chaolais (Canmore ID 21485) has been extensively surveyed, most recently by EW Mackie in 2007, although not excavated. It is thought to represent a broch. The natural harbour of Acarsaid an Duin to the east of this panel contains evidence of current usage, although it is quite silted. Interestingly, there are no other known examples of rock art in this part of the island.
The cupmarked panel W of the broch described in the Canmore record from the 1980 RCAHMS survey was looked for carefully, but not found in the NOSAS 2017 survey. This was the only possible rock within a significant radius of the Canmore grid reference.
Panel Notes: The rough gneiss outcrop, sloping S at 17 degrees, is 5.5m NS by 2.2m broad. It roughly follows the contours of the sloping hillside, reaching only 0.5m above ground level. The panel faces SE. From roughly mid-point on the eastern side of the slab, three sharp ridges radiate out across the surface of the rock. The surface of the rock is covered in lichen in places, and shows many natural corrugations and irregularities. One solitary cup shaped depression lies just above (north) of the central point of the middle of the three radiating ridges. It is 0.08m in diameter and 0.02m deep. Although it has the appearance of rock art, it is almost certainly a natural feature as its upper rim edge is quite sharp, and it is a long way from the other nearest rock art.
