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

     

Ardifuir

Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art

<b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartukImage © rockartuk
Nearest Town:Lochgilphead (11km SE)
OS Ref (GB):   NR789970 / Sheet: 55
Latitude:56° 6' 51.75" N
Longitude:   5° 33' 24.54" W

Added by IronMan


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<b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by tiompan <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by tiompan <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by tiompan <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk <b>Ardifuir</b>Posted by rockartuk

Fieldnotes

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We visited this secluded location in May 2003 with permission of the landowner. The motifs are on a ridge running SW/NE from the (Iron Age) Dun just West of the farmhouse to a Dun higher up the ridge. Most of the carvings are faint. However, this is a wonderful place with wide views. rockartuk Posted by rockartuk
12th December 2003ce

Folklore

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My favourite type of folklore - rock art folklore. Or at least, I think it's a fair guess to say that's what this story refers to.
The Hoof-prints of Scota's Steed at Ardifour Point.

At the mouth of Loch Craignish, but on the Kilmartin side of the loch, is the farm of Ardifour. One side of this farm faces Loch Craignish, and another Loch Crinan. Between the two lochs is a point where there are deep indentations in the rock, which bear some remote resemblance to the hoof-prints of a horse. How were these formed? A geologist could easily answer the question; but legend also has its own way of solving the difficulty.

Scota, the daughter of Pharoah, King of Egypt, came over from Ireland, and having entered the mouth of Loch Crinan, drew up her ship opposite Ardifour Point. She then mounted her steed, shook the reins, and thus urged the high-mettled animal to spring from the deck on to the distant point; and so violent was the shock that the hoofs of the horse sank deeply into the rock, and left behind them those marks which are still to be seen at Ardifour.
From 'Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition' (Argyllshire series) by Archibald Campbell (1889).

Rock art UK's photo here isn't totally unlike four hoofmarks?
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
4th July 2012ce
Edited 4th July 2012ce

Miscellaneous

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At least 11 groups of cup- and cup-and-ring markings lie in the valley to the north of Ardifuir farmhouse. Grid references, taken from RCAHMS' "Kilmartin Prehistoric & Early Historic Monuments, an inventory of the monuments extracted from Argyll volume 6" are:

NR789970, NR789969, NR790970 (six at this reference), NR790971, NR788970 (two at this reference)
IronMan Posted by IronMan
16th October 2002ce

Links

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Ardifuir on BRAC Updated


Ardifuir on BRAC Updated
Posted by markj99
30th March 2021ce