<< Our Photo Pages >> Achnabreck - Rock Art in Scotland in Argyll

Submitted by rockartuk on Wednesday, 08 September 2021  Page Views: 25009

Rock ArtSite Name: Achnabreck
Country: Scotland County: Argyll Type: Rock Art
 Nearest Village: Kilmichael Glassary
Map Ref: NR8555090671  Landranger Map Number: 55
Latitude: 56.060678N  Longitude: 5.446132W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

rrmoser visited on 18th Jul 2017 The wave like or oceanic feeling of the rock itself makes sense of a shamanistic search for things that shift between forms. and levels. rock is water. and the circles do look like the ripples on a lake.

SandyG visited on 15th Apr 2015 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 4

jeffrep visited on 1st Jun 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

SolarMegalith visited on 27th Apr 2013 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4

markj99 visited on 30th Jan 2010 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 There are some sites which are overwhelming. There is too much to see on just one visit. The wealth of rock art on display at Achnabreck almost requires a revisit to appreciate how special it is.

Klingon visited on 29th Feb 2000 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

Uralsdaughter visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

coin AngieLake Bobeds snakefarmer have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.17 Access: 3.67

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by custer : Fantastic paterns over a wide area of exposed stone cap on the hill. Fascinating to think what may be hidden by moss. The wet weather added to this providing definition to the circles, glad I made the effort to get up the hill. (Vote or comment on this photo)
There are three cup-and-ring marked outcrop rocks at this largest and most extensive group of prehistoric rockcarvings in Scotland. The site also boasts the largest cup-and-ring mark in Scotland. With its radial grooves it looks like a giant spider web over 1m in diameter.

It was first reported by Sir James Simpson (1864) and surveyed and mapped by Ronald W. B. Morris in 1970.The site is in the care of Historic Scotland.

Access

2.5 km NW of Lochgilphead, with signposted public access and carpark.

Note: We have linked videos of several recent online rock art presentations in the comments on this page
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Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by crannog : Another small part of a panel. The light was fading fast, rain pelting down but it adds to the atmosphere and brings out the beauty in the rock! (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achnabreck Eastern Rock
Achnabreck Eastern Rock submitted by Klingon : (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by crannog : What I love about this small section is the line of 'holes' where a stone axe?(maybe) carved a line, with lots of wee dunts to the rock, over time these have been slightly eroded but can still be seen..... nice effect! (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by crannog : Close up of rock carvings. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by Klingon :

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by Sunny100 : Archnabreck cup-and-ring marked rock carvings in the high hills of Argyle. They are prehistoric in date and cover a huge flat piece of stone; some are concentric rings with seperate rings connected by grooves, while others are just ordinary cup marks. Obviously they were carved on this slab of stone for a purpose, perhaps symbolic, ritualistic or as a kind of marker between certain places of sacre... (1 comment)

Achnabreck 5
Achnabreck 5 submitted by rockartuk : Achnabreck, Strathclyde NR 8556 9070 Located 2.5 km NW of Lochgilphead, with signposted public access Overview of the upper-panel with the 'horned spiral' in the background. There is an obvious time-gap between the making of the motifs; one is much fainter than the other.

Achnabreck 1
Achnabreck 1 submitted by rockartuk : Achnabreck, Strathclyde NR 8556 9070 Located 2.5 km NW of Lochgilphead, with signposted public access A cup-and-ring motif catched in the low afternoon sun (2 comments)

Achnabreck, Gaf3-4, Argyll, Scotland
Achnabreck, Gaf3-4, Argyll, Scotland submitted by rockartuk : A nice combined mark after a traditional Scottish shower on a slope at Achnabreck (NR 8556 9070). An extremely slippery affair! But what an artistic motif; both c&r-marks seems uninterrupted. Just like the rain! (1 comment)

Achnabreck Eastern Rock
Achnabreck Eastern Rock submitted by Catrinm : Excellent rock art panel.

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by SandyG : Wonderful rock art but the lighting conditions did not do it justice. (15th April 2015).

Achnabreck Eastern Rock
Achnabreck Eastern Rock submitted by coin : Achnabreck East

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by Bladup : Achnabreck.

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by jeffrep : The Achnabreck Cup and Ring Marks site is located off the A816 some 2-1/2 miles north of Lochgilphead in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. From the parking area off the forest track, it is approximately 1/4 of a mile to the site.

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by Bladup : Achnabreck.

Achnabreck Upper
Achnabreck Upper submitted by SolarMegalith : Some of the best defined cup-and-ring marks on the upper surface of Achnabreck Main Rock (photo taken on April 2013).

Achnabreck Upper
Achnabreck Upper submitted by SolarMegalith : Decorated upper surface of Achnabreck Main Rock (photo taken on April 2013).

Achnabreck Upper
Achnabreck Upper submitted by SolarMegalith : Cup-and-ring mark with a gutter on the surface of Achnabreck Upper (photo taken on April 2013).

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by crannog : Small part of one panel.... nice effect in the rain!

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by caradoc68 : l lost count how many panels I saw, in the last few hours before it got dark and was sure there was loads more to see. Will have to go back in the spring for the day for a full investigation. (1 comment)

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by AngieLake : Taken on a visit to Kilmartin Glen in 2002.

Achnabreck Forest Rock Art
Achnabreck Forest Rock Art submitted by Andy B : The photo in the Herald of the newly discovered rock art. (2 comments)

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by mickb1953 : Cup and ring carvings at Achnabreck. Easy to find and makes a very pleasant walk through forestry (1 comment)

Achnabreck
Achnabreck submitted by mickb1953 : Achnabreck carvings. An example of one of the most common motifs on these extensively carved rocks - this photo shows a cup and 5 rings with a gutter. There are two main outcrops at NR885906/857906 and 856905.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 144m N 2° Achnabreck Forest Rock Art* Rock Art (NR8556390815)
 173m E 96° Achnabreck Eastern Rock* Rock Art (NR8572290645)
 303m W 276° Dun Na Maraig* Stone Fort or Dun (NR85259072)
 473m S 179° Achnabreck Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NR8553790197)
 754m S 171° Achnabreac* Standing Stones (NR85638992)
 1.5km W 280° Dun Chuain* Stone Fort or Dun (NR841910)
 1.5km ENE 71° Auchoish* Chambered Cairn (NR870911)
 1.5km W 268° Carn Ban (Lochgilphead)* Cairn (NR840907)
 1.6km NW 319° Dunamuck Cairn* Cairn (NR84579192)
 1.6km W 280° Cairnbaan 1* Rock Art (NR8398891027)
 1.7km W 280° Cairnbaan 2* Rock Art (NR8387791056)
 1.8km NNW 334° Leacaichluaine* Standing Stones (NR84839232)
 2.0km NNW 336° Dunamuck South* Standing Stones (NR8484192493)
 2.1km NW 323° Dun Mor, Dunamuck* Stone Fort or Dun (NR8435792420)
 2.4km NNW 337° Dunamuck North* Standing Stones (NR8471392912)
 2.8km N 2° Kilmichael Glassary 1* Rock Art (NR8579793496)
 2.9km N 4° Kilmichael Glassary Kirk* Ancient Cross (NR8589893521)
 2.9km N 2° Kilmichael Glassary 2* Rock Art (NR8580993545)
 3.2km NNW 327° Dunadd Recumbent Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NR83979343)
 3.4km NNW 327° Dunadd Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NR8386993612)
 3.4km NW 324° Dunadd Fort* Hillfort (NR8367693573)
 3.5km WNW 282° Barnakill Rock Art (NR82199154)
 3.6km N 5° Torbhlaren Fallen Stone Standing Stone (Menhir) (NR86079428)
 3.7km NNE 14° Dun Torbhlaran* Stone Fort or Dun (NR866942)
 3.8km N 7° Torbhlaran 1* Rock Art (NR8621394375)
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"Achnabreck" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Re: Achnabreck by STOCKDALE on Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Can I ask if any measurements are being taken from the rock carvings? For example the length of the grooves, distances from cup hole to cup hole?
Personally I believe these measures will confirm that a unit of length was used to incorporate important information into the design.
Thom thought there was a Megalithic inch. I believe there was usage of the HSMi. The Harris and Stockdale Megalithic Foot of 14.142 inches /56=.2525 inches. In my first book 'Astronomy and Measurement in Megalithic Architecture' I gave a detailed explanation of how this was done at the Swastika Stone, Ilkley.
In my new book, 'A New Dimension to Ancient Measures' there are further rock art examples from Scotland showing how the HSMi was used to incorporate important astronomical values into the megalithic design.
For further details please contact me at : [email protected]

Thanks. Peter Harris.
[ Reply to This ]

Carving a place, leaving a mark: Scotland’s rock art in context by Andy B on Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Carving a place, leaving a mark: Scotland’s rock art in context - Linda Marie Bjerketvedt.

Linda Marie Bjerketvedt, ScRAP Data Analyst, Historic Environment Scotland. Carving a place, leaving a mark: Scotland’s rock art in context

Since the 1980s, rock art research has increasingly considered the relationship between rock carvings and their surrounding landscape. Setting and context have been explored to better understand the meaning and role of rock carvings in prehistory, with long-distance visibility and pathways often argued to be important facets of their location (Bradley 1997). This presentation focuses on the regional variation of rock art across Scotland in different landscapes. It presents the results of computational analysis using data from the ScRAP database, applied to various case study regions. Using this approach helps decipher visibility and mobility patterns in a quantitative way, providing us with a clearer understanding of the relations between rock art and landscapes in Scotland.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gY5KPGAcCc
[ Reply to This ]

Understanding Scottish Prehistoric Carvings: Contribution of Scotland's Rock Art Proj by Andy B on Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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There are over 3000 rock art sites currently known in Scotland, making it one of the country's most prolific prehistoric monument types. Scotland’s Rock Art Project (ScRAP) is the first major research project focusing on prehistoric rock art in Scotland, aiming to enhance understanding and awareness of this tradition through community co-production and research. This talk offers an overview of the work Scotland’s Rock Art Project has developed in the last four years and results of the data analyses carried out to the large dataset created.

Dr Joana Valdez-Tullett is the Post-doctoral Research Assistant for Scotland’s Rock Art Project, Linda Marie Bjerketvedt is Data Analyst for Scotland’s Rock Art Project, Dr Tertia Barnett is Principal Investigator for Scotland’s Rock Art Project, Dr Stuart Jeffrey is Reader in Heritage Visualisation at the School of Simulation and Visualisation at Glasgow School of Art, and Dr Guillaume Robin is a Senior Lecturer at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAXkEq4ZeEQ



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Origins of Achnabreck: Revealing rock art in Kilmartin, Scotland - Dr Aaron Watson by Andy B on Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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This webinar was organised by the Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP) and was the first of 12 monthly webinars presented live throughout 2021 by experts from Britain and Europe on themes relating to prehistoric rock art in Scotland.

Achnabreck is a massive rock outcrop and one of the most extensive rock art sites in Britain. It is part of a major group of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments located in Kilmartin Glen on the west coast of Scotland. Photogrammetric analysis has brought to light hundreds of previously unrecorded carvings displaying unusual designs which have parallels in Irish passage tomb art. In this fascinating talk, Dr Aaron Watson describes how his work is revealing fresh insights into one of the greatest mysteries of British prehistory.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGv_YnHYd2g

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Re: Achnabreck by Andy B on Saturday, 10 February 2018
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An image of this site has been nominated as one of Scotland’s Treasured Places

Canmore has at least 5 different records for this site:

https://canmore.org.uk/site/39552/achnabreck (which has an image of the motifs)

https://canmore.org.uk/site/300104/achnabreck Discovered in 2008 when a storm blew over trees revealing the panel below

https://canmore.org.uk/site/39553/achnabreck

https://canmore.org.uk/site/39551/achnabreck (faint cup and rings)

https://canmore.org.uk/site/76400/achnabreck

With thanks to Anne T for the links
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