Tormain Hill Cup and Ring Marks

We have some great information from our Fabulous North friend Jane Brook who wrote a blog for us explaining the possible meaning behind these mysterious markings and why they exist.

You can read Jane's blog here: Rock Art in Northumberland

They may have been used in mapping, as representations of the stars or used in ceremonies, but archaeologists just aren't sure. The cup and rings at Tormain Hill are in a position where there is a fabulous 360 degree view, with the Pentland Hills to the south and Cairnpapple Hill to the west, so the suggestion of the marks representing a meeting place for ceremonies could be true here.

These cup and ring marks are thought to be some of the best examples of rock art in Scotland, however, you have to time your visit right to see them. We visited on a damp, grey afternoon and almost walked past them. The light was terrible and we could barely see any of the markings, however I got in touch with Martin McCarthy via the power of social media and asked if he wouldn't mind sharing his photos from the same site.

Martin always takes lights with him to enhance the markings and you can see the intricate details in his fantastic photos. In contrast I have included a couple of our pictures too, and you can hardly see a thing! It's best to visit when the sun is low which casts shadows into the shallow grooves and makes the patterns come to life.

I love these ancient sites, and I'm always so impressed that they've survived centuries of weathering and it's fascinating to think that they have been here for potentially 3,000 years or more.

The most prominently marked rock here features a cup surrounded by 4 rings, which aren't complete circles - this is an unusual pattern that I don't think we have come across before. Though cup and ring marked rocks usually have cups & rings and grooves & gutters, the patterns are often more intricate than you would imagine and are quite different from one another - all adding to the mystery and intrigue of this ancient art.

The main image and first three images in the article are courtesy of Martin McCarthy. Huge thanks to Martin for giving us permission to use the images.