Region : Strathclyde Home
District : Argyll & Bute Map
Town or village : Cairnbaan List
Grid Reference : NR 855 906 Glossary
Period : 3rd-2nd millennium BC Bibliography
Achnabreck

CUP-AND-RING MARKINGS
Achnabreck image

 
This is the most extensive group of prehistoric rock-carvings in Scotland.
The largest decorated rock outcrop of the group, on the edge of a forest east of Cairnbaan, bears many plain cupmarks often linked by grooves and at least 50 cup-and-ring markings, one of which has nine rings.
Other unusual carvings are one triple-spiral and two double-spiral motifs (one is visible in the foreground of the photo) and one of the largest cup-and-ring markings yet recorded (0.97m in diameter).
Some 150m to the east there is another rock outcrop (NR 857 906) decorated with at least 15 multi-ringed cupmarks. Another decorated rock-sheet is 140m to the east of the main group.
In care of Historic Scotland