There are over a dozen rocks in this area decorated with cup and ring markings and several more with cup-markings only.
The area has been turned into something of a country park and an information board at the car park refers to some decorated rocks being covered to "protect them from modern human beings".
Nevertheless at least six decorated sites remain visible but, in the interests of protection, no location details are given here nor are actual site names attached to the images shown.
THE SAD TALE OF THE COCHNO STONE
NMRS Number NS57SW 32
The Cochno Stone is one of the most extensively decorated and most interesting rock art sites in this part of Scotland.
The good news is that the rock still exists in its original location; the bad news (for some) is that, around 50 years ago, it was covered by about a metre of soil to protect it from further vandalism.
The worse news is that it does not seem to have been properly recorded before it was covered. Morris refers to several drawings of the site which are consistent in recording the main features but contain many differences on the minor ones.
As well as a splendid array of cup and ring-markings, there are spirals, a circled cross, two four-toed feet and a lot more.
He produced a drawing for The Prehistoric Rock Art of Southern Scotland (posted) incorporating as many features from the different drawings as he thought reasonable but this can be no substitute for a proper recording.
If you visit the site, you can get an impression of its immense size from the surrounding wall which remains.
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Posted by greywether
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