Balmacnaughton 5

Date Fieldwork Started: 29/09/2020

Compiled by: ScRAP Team

Location Notes: The panel is located in rough grazing on the NW sloping edge of a rocky knoll on the W facing hillside above Balmacnaughton Farm, overlooking Loch Tay with the Ben Lawers and Glen Lyon hills and Schehallion visible to the W and N. The bedrock on top of the knoll is extensively carved, with five additional exposed areas of rock (Balmacnaughton 1-4 and 6) within 14m of this panel featuring cups, cups and rings and other motifs, all previously grouped together under Canmore 25013, ScRAP 1671. The N-S running stone wall and deer fence to mature pine woodland lies 6m to the NE of the panel. On the slopes below and to the W of the panel there are the remains of numerous stone dykes, field clearance cairns, and structures. The area has been extensively quarried and re-located in structures. The rock to the S noted by Naddir in 1992 is not an additional panel but part of the six sections of outcrop mentioned the existing Canmore description, and recorded by ScRAP as Balmacnaughton 1-6.

Panel Notes: This is an exposed area of metamorphosed gabbro measuring 1.53 x 1.46m, extending and sloping slightly towards W and NW. Flush with the ground, it is only visible when observed at a close distance, and it is partially covered with vegetation. The rock is quite hard, with coarse grain and a rough texture cut by fissures. The carvings are weathered which, in addition to the nature of the rocks, makes them very difficult to see. On the southern part of the rock surface is a cupmark with a possible ring. Another 6 cupmarks are carved on the NW part of the panel, making a semi-circle. One of the cupmarks is deeper than the others and has a long radial which has another cupmark carved on top of it. There is a possible cupmark on the NE quadrant of the rock surface. All carvings are quite shallow and tool marks are not obvious.