Natural (?) cupmarks - calling tiompan! | Forum

BigSweetie Apr 18, 2013 15:10:54

We visited Carn Liath at the weekend and noticed cup marks on one of the entrance lintels.

Some run along what looks like a fault-line in the stone, and appear to be due to weathering.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/img_fullsize/120961.jpg

But below that, on the under curve of the lintel, are a couple more which look more likely.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/img_fullsize/120962.jpg

Any opinions?

The RCAHMS mentions cupmarks and horizontal lines on a lintel, but appears to suggest that that particular lintel was over an outer entrance and is now lost.

tiompan Apr 19, 2013 19:15:17

Replying to BigSweetie

Andy , with the usual caveat that it's unfair to judge negatively on the basis of a pic . I reckon they look natural . Pics 5&6 here are similar .
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/14271/non_rock_art.html
It looks like a sharp edge with the sides steeper rather the more usual inverted cone shape more typical of cup marks . Although not obviously on a bedding plane , unlike those above , they are on the same "line" and adjacent . They and those above may well be the reason for choosing the that particular rock .Pity about the missing rock ,were they similar ? and they did have other possible (later ) markings .

The Eternal Apr 20, 2013 00:25:24

Replying to BigSweetie

Andy,

I've seen "cup" marks like that, and of the same size in Great Langdale in Cumbria that aren't considered to be prehistoric.
The reason is that it is an area of volcanic rock. Just today I saw similar marks that were only the diameter of a 2p piece. There were dozens on a rock the size of two footballs, and similar ones all around in the mountains that surround the valley. Many more exist that are the size of the ones on your photo. Sometimes it's hard to differentiate between prehistoric and volcanic cup marks. The volcanic ones are obviously bubbles of trapped gasses.

Difficult to decide what is what in an area of volcanic rock, but it may be simpler elsewhere.

Cheers,
TE.

Natural (?) cupmarks — calling tiompan!