Scheduled Monument

Clachmhor, cup-marked stoneSM11435

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
18/10/2006
Type
Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art
Local Authority
Highland
Parish
Urquhart And Glenmoriston
NGR
NH 49919 31099
Coordinates
249919, 831099

Description

The monument consists of a large flat triangular block of grey gneiss about 5m long, 3m broad and 0.3m thick, oriented N to S, containing a large number of cup-marks. It is situated on relatively flat ground above the upper break of a slope on a wide, steep valley, adjacent to a stream.

In 1882 W. Jolly claimed that this was "the finest cup-marked stone in the neighbourhood of Inverness". He recorded 113 cup-marks and claimed that there was evidence that the stone once formed part of a ring of boulders or standing stones. No sign of the ring of boulders remains and evidence was recorded in 1997 that suggested that someone had previously tried to move the stone. Of the cup-marks only 90 can be traced today, they are fairly weathered and measure up to 0.09m in diameter and 0.03m in depth, some occur in pairs.

The area to be scheduled is a 10m diameter circle, centred on the stone, to include the stone and any related archaeological deposits, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument's archaeological significance is as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: The monument is a good example of its type, containing a large number of cup-mark symbols in a single place. Its position in the landscape is typical for this class of monument, nationally. However, like many others of its type, it is possible that this was later incorporated into a larger ritual monument, of which no other trace now survives and this is the only remnant signifier. Unlike north-east Scotland, where the majority of cup-marked stones have been incorporated into later ritual monuments, of 115 known in Highland only 12 have been used within stone circles, standing stones and cairns, and the majority of these lie on the edge of the low lying plain on the eastern edge of the Highlands. The meaning of the symbols on these classes of monuments is poorly understood and the preservation of any member of its type can only serve to preserve this class for study in the future.

Contextual characteristics: Examples of this class of monument rarely exist in isolation, and it has been recognised that each individual group of rock carvings forms a small part of a wider coherent system of rock carvings distributed along, or near to, the tops of valley systems, where they may mark out route-ways through the landscape. The meaning of the marks themselves is intriguing and enigmatic. It is possible that they are some form of ritualised expression and that the relationship between disparate groups of rock art represent a symbolic 'grammar'. Whether this boulder was not incorporated into a later ritual monument or is the last surviving part of a stone circle or burial cairn, the number of symbols means that this example is in a position to inform future work about the relationship of cup-mark symbols and later ritual practice.

National Importance:

The monument is of national importance because it is a good example of an easily recognised and widely appreciated monument type. The loss of this example, within a wider coherent system in this landscape, either as a cup-marked boulder that once stood alone, or as one that was later incorporated into a now destroyed more complex ritual monument, would affect our ability to understand this class of monument. It has the potential to make a significant contribution to our understanding of how members of prehistoric communities in northern Scotland who carved these symbols, and/or those that came into contact with them in later periods, interacted with one another and with their environment.

References

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NH43SE 2.

References:

Jolly W 1882, 'On Cup-Marked Stones in the Neighbourhood of Inverness; With an Appendix on Cup-Marked Stones in the Western Islands', PROC SOC ANTIQ SCOT 16, 300-401.

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

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Printed: 19/03/2024 06:57