Because of context we assume that many of the carvings were made in the earliest days of metalworking and another product of this era was the carving of stone moulds for copper and bronze casting. While the intent can be assumed to be very different certainly the tools used and possibly the craftspeople makers were the same. (Google " croglin stone mould " for an example that is local to me). It would, perhaps, be useful if the stone mould tradition were brought into the rock art fold (metaphorically).

[I am now also pretty convinced that TomBo never found the Kirkhaugh stone circle site and invented his report. A later group visit there spoke of a row of slabs that look like a bankside to an old road is just that - and a fair distance away from the actual stones.]

{Also I've noticed that the Megalithic Portal still has some of my Bolton sites listed. I have a login - or had - there, and may try to wade in and get these sites 'correctly listed' there. I know it's impossible but that doesn't mean don't try.}

I’m new on here, so apologies if my suggestion is outdated. To me, cup and ring marks suggest a sort of spiritual tally system. The cups would represent the individual, the carver, and the rings would indicate how many times some key event have taken place - a ritual, or a pilgrimage perhaps. The lines cutting through might represent genealogy, I.e. from the original mark-maker to their next descendent, or to someone who has replaced their function, like a subsequent priest. Or the lines might represent a completion, e.g. completion of their life, or their tenure. The way that some rings stop at the edge of other rings might suggest that rings were added over a period of time, I.e. they experienced more events than they anticipated when they started their marks.now that we believe that pilgrimages were carried out to important locations like Stonehenge, would this ring-tallying be a good explanation for cup and ring marks? What do you think?