Bronze Age Rock Carving Uncovered in Scotland

From The Herald.com/uk Rock carving found after recent storm sheds further light on bronze age art JAMES MORGAN reporter February 16 2008 A rock carving dating back to the bronze age has been uncovered by forestry workers clearing trees which fell during the recent storms. The mysterious rock art had been hidden by a huge tree in Forestry Commission Scotland's Achnabreac Forest, in West Argyll, until it was blown down around three weeks ago. The carving - believed to be around 5000 years old - is of a dice-like pattern. It sits above the mouth of Kilmartin Glen and directly overlooks the rock art at Cairnbaan. Its proximity to these other rock art sites, its visual relationship with both sites and the similar complexity of design suggests that all three sites may be connected, say the commission. It believes the new site may hold the key to unravelling the mystery which surrounds the rock art in Argyll. Andy Buntin, of the Forestry Commission, said: "We discovered the new rock art during a routine inspection. "West Argyll is renowned for its archaeological importance, with 46 scheduled ancient monuments, and the site is one of the three largest ring-marked sites in Britain. "The importance of the site and the reasons for the carvings remain a topic of speculation and despite public and academic interest, the meanings of the symbols remains mysterious." Mr Buntin said the carvings date back to the late neolithic and early bronze age. "Initially the carvings were found on boulders and outcrops of rock overlooking major routes, hunting grounds, water-holes and hunting spots," he said. "This suggests a link with herding or hunting wild animals, although the presence on hillsides may indicate that they mark out boundaries between farmland and wild ground - perhaps an association with territorial ownership. "Later on, many boulders were incorporated into burials and cairns where they separate boundaries between sacred areas." © All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. *********************************************************************************** Why assume that the markings were delineations between "farm land" and "wild ground?" That seems to be such a "man" way of looking at things. Always looking for new ways to mark out his territory. Couldn't the markings just indicate spots where Shamans felt the blessings of the goddess upon the people? Or wanted the blessings of the goddess to "shower down" upon the people? That ancient burials were often found in close proximity to such markings (per the article) provides a crucial clue! DUH! The markings were not done to delineate separations between farm land and wild land. They were there to celebrate the goddess who, from the most ancient times, ruled over the hills, and watery springs, and the mountains, freely providing their bounty upon the children of the gods (mankind). And - what is a "dicelike pattern" as mentioned in the article? Does that mean etched lines forming a checkerboard-like pattern with "dots" in them? A diamond-grid-like pattern? Unfortunately, no photo accompanied the article, but both patterns have traditionally been associated with various goddesses throughout history. Check out some rock carvings from Cairnbaan from The Modern Antiquarian. Any relation there to "dicelike patterns?"