The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Copt Howe

Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art

Fieldnotes

We got there about four in the afternoon on the day of the Autumnal equinox, it was a Sunday. There was already half a dozen cars parked in the vicinity but there was room for one more at the end, I squeezed it in effortlessly, as I'm a professional driver.
Despite the number of cars parked on the side of the road there was only a young couple there, so we gave them some time to themselves and consumed out butties and pop. Yum.
They were gone soon enough so Eric set about exploring the boulders, not that one I told him, that ones off limits, then I sat in front of the rock art after perusing the information board and tried hard to see everything that was on the picture.
The triangle or love heart of pecked bumps was impossible to see until right up next to it, the longer I sat there staring the more I could see. Over the now very rickety and slightly dangerous stile I found more. Concentric circles surrounding a natural ? depression, two cartouche type shapes and two weird cup marks with bumps in the middle, that's not the technical term but I lack the vocabulary.

I wonder why it is all done with the big axe factory mountain out of view. I also wonder why it's only on one boulder, perhaps it lends credence to the map theory. But I still don't buy it, why would you need a map, surely anyone here would know where they are going, and if they don't then they've got no business being here. Not anyone could go up there and knock out their own axes could they ?

But one thing is for sure and completely undeniable, this is a sublime position for anything, rock art a stone circle a single standing stone, heck I'd come here if there was nowt at all. The grass is greener, the sky bluer, the clouds fluffier and the mountains, well, they are the best in England, rockier, higher and more inviting than anywhere else.
Come now before they get too eroded for surely one day they will be no more than big grassy hills.
postman Posted by postman
25th September 2013ce
Edited 25th September 2013ce

Comments (3)

cartouche



Nice word. Sorry. I've not got anything more sensible to say. Other than that great big isolated lumps of rock with markings on are very nice and I'd like to visit.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
25th September 2013ce
It isn't too much to assume everyone knows what a cartouche is, is it ?

We are in agreement about lumps and markings, that's not very sensible either is it ?
postman Posted by postman
25th September 2013ce
No, not too much to assume and the wonders of the internet could allow anyone to find out without having to reach for a dictionary even. Research broadens the mind, etc.

Rhiannon, you are getting quite single-minded in your lump-of-natural-rock appreciation. I fear our hillforts and stone circles may be wasted on you, in this elevated state of being. Perhaps the odd lake or waterfall might provide variety?
thesweetcheat Posted by thesweetcheat
26th September 2013ce
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