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<< Our Photo Pages >> North Ballachulish - Rock Art in Scotland in Highlands

Submitted by Nick on Sunday, 14 December 2003  Page Views: 13549

Rock ArtSite Name: North Ballachulish
Country: Scotland County: Highlands Type: Rock Art
Nearest Town: Fort William  Nearest Village: Ballachulish
Map Ref: NN057599  Landranger Map Number: 41
Latitude: 56.690307N  Longitude: 5.174325W
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.
3 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.
2 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
3

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North Ballachulish
North Ballachulish submitted by Nick : Ballachulish, nr Fort William NN057599 This very interesting rock lies behind the Alltshellach Hotel in North Ballachulish. Please ask permission to visit, the owners didn't know of the existence of this rock, although they do now. From the side door of the hotel follow the track down through the grounds to an old jetty with a couple of iron mooring rings on it. Look south, and you'll see tw... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Rock Art in Highland

This very interesting rock lies behind the Alltshellach Hotel in North Ballachulish. Please ask permission to visit, the owners didn't know of the existence of this rock, although they do now. From the side door of the hotel follow the track down through the grounds to an old jetty with a couple of iron mooring rings on it. Look south, and you'll see two iron fence posts on the rocks of the promontory. Head for the western (right-hand) one, taking care as the rocks can be pretty slippery. When you reach the iron pole, look down at your feet.... Some of the cup marks are pretty eroded, and the larger ones have a fissure running through them, but it's a fairly well-used surface here.
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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
NN0559 : Loch Leven by Dave Fergusson
by Dave Fergusson
©2010(licence)
NN0559 : Loch Leven by M J Richardson
by M J Richardson
©2013(licence)
NN0560 : Bay at N. Ballachulish looking to Sgorr Dhearg by Martin Southwood
by Martin Southwood
©2005(licence)
NN0560 : Sea level to Mountain Top by Angus
by Angus
©2006(licence)
NN0559 : Ballachulish Ferry, Loch Leven by The Late Dr P E G Clements
by The Late Dr P E G Clements
©2016(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 100m E 87° Bishop's Rock* Rock Art (NN058599)
 583m WNW 284° Rubha Mor* Cairn (NN05146007)
 905m WSW 242° Ballachulish House* Chambered Cairn (NN04885951)
 3.4km WNW 292° Clach-a-charra* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NN02566134)
 8.8km SW 230° Achara Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM98665455)
 12.3km NNE 32° Dun Deardail* Vitrified Fort (NN127701)
 13.9km NNE 27° Dun Dige* Round Barrow(s) (NN126720)
 14.6km NNE 15° West Highland Museum* Museum (NN102738)
 15.0km SE 142° Invercharnan (Glen Etive) Cairn (NN14394761)
 15.0km NNE 23° Samuel's Stone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NN122735)
 16.7km SSW 205° St Cairrell's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NM980450)
 18.1km SW 223° Cairnbane (Portnacroish) Chambered Cairn (NM926473)
 20.0km SSW 205° Barcaldine* Standing Stones (NM96374213)
 21.6km S 179° Muirheadstone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NN050383)
 22.2km SSW 208° Achacha standing stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM94444075)
 22.2km SSW 208° Achacha Cairn* Cairn (NM94364076)
 23.4km SW 219° Eriska Crannog* Crannog (NM90114239)
 24.1km W 271° Clach a' Phoanais (Strontian)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM8158061357)
 24.4km SW 218° Balure Cairns* Cairn (NM89604145)
 24.4km SW 214° Castle Farm cairns* Cairn (NM91014029)
 24.5km SW 214° Castle Farm standing stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM911402)
 24.5km SW 217° Achnamoine 2* Cairn (NM89974104)
 24.5km SW 216° Achnamoine Cairn* Cairn (NM90184082)
 24.8km SSW 213° Culcharron cairn* Cairn (NM913396)
 25.0km SW 228° Cnoc Aingil Cairn (NM86384397)
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"North Ballachulish" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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3D Model of the Ballachulish Figure by Andy B on Friday, 10 September 2021
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The Pallasboy project explored the creative process involved in the crafting of prehistoric wooden artefacts. Phase II of the project looked at anthropomorphic wooden figurines recovered from wetland contexts across Europe. The Ballachulish figure was figures researched during this phase The Ballachulish figure is a roughly life-sized figure of a female , carved from a single piece of alder, with pebbles for eyes. It was found during building work in November 1880, under deep peat. It was lying face down on the gravel of an old raised beach. It might originally have stood beside a pool. The figure has been radiocarbon-dated to around 600 BC

This model was scanned by Orla-Peach Power of DH_Age with the kind permission of the National Museum of Scotland.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/ballachulish-figure-50e8cb413e874137b82134c2819e9207
[ Reply to This ]

Video: The Autonomous Artist: Lessons Learned on The Pallasboy Project by Andy B on Saturday, 11 April 2020
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A Case for the Embedded yet Autonomous Artist: Lessons Learned on The Pallasboy Project by Brian Mac Domhnaill (Artist/Archaeologist The Pallasboy Project)

The Pallasboy Project, launched in 2014, set out to explore the creative process involved in the crafting of prehistoric wooden artefacts. The recording strategy (in the hands of an artist/archaeologist) would serve to reveal and document a contemporary experience of craft and in doing so provide a new perspective on an ancient creative process. Initially it was intended that any additional artistic lines of enquiry would run in tandem with archaeological experimentation, but also directly influence the record itself. However, this resulted in a tension born out of dual roles, between the responsibility to record and the expectation to create. Although materials and methodologies inspired and informed artistic research and process along the way this mostly happened outside of the main thread of the project and over a longer period of time. Artistic influence on the record was slight, at times playful, but never quite finding its own moment. Perhaps it is yet to come.

https://youtu.be/dRyxvNqxcz0
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Re: The Ballachulish anthropomorphic figure by Andy B on Wednesday, 21 November 2018
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In early August 2017, a team of experimental Archaeologists arrived in Ballachulish to recreate the Ballachulish Goddess. This wooden figurine, carved from alder approximately 2600 years ago, was first discovered in 1880, preserved in the peat at Ballachulish Moss just across the loch. Remarkably little is known about her, 137 years later, and one of the aims of the project was to see how she would have really looked before she dried out and shrunk on her way to the museum in Edinburgh.

Over three days the team’s woodworker, Mark Griffiths, worked tirelessly at the substitute Birch log cut down from a local garden to create a very close replica, based on measurements and a single photo dating back to 1880. I had been the local contact between the community and the team from Ireland.

Two weeks later, as the schools went back, the goddess went on a wee tour before she was buried in peat to preserve her. First stop was Glencoe Primary, where Morag Watt, a trustee at Glencoe Museum, and I introduced the goddess to the pupils. The children listened intently as we presented a slide show giving some background both to the work of the experimental archaeologists and the goddess, asking some pertinent questions when given the opportunity.

After about 10 minutes, the goddess was revealed to stifled gasps, and even a little scream from one of the younger children! Although initially slightly awestruck by the figure, when prompted, they all came forward to touch her and even cuddle her. Photos were taken, and there were many more questions, some of which were easy to answer, others a little more difficult – as so many questions from young children can be when you are unprepared!

Between the four schools, there were lots of interesting comments and ideas that the children came out with, including:
The notch in the base could have been used to weigh or peg her down.
The base plinth may have had an inscription or plaque on it (giving her name).
The item in her hands might be a baby.
One child asked why she was wearing pants – we side stepped that!
She was dressed up in furs (the child’s interpretation of contemporary clothing) when ‘in use’
She was made in Egypt, like the mummy cases, and brought here by boat
She was a statue of a real person
She was a real person turned to stone (!) by a witch

More here: https://thepallasboyvessel.wordpress.com/category/phase-2-anthropomorphic-wooden-figurines/
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    “The slow regard of silent things…” - Benjamin Gearey, Orla-Peach Power by Andy B on Wednesday, 21 November 2018
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    EAA 2018 Session: Human, Post-Human, Trans-Human Digital Archaeologies “The slow regard of silent things…” Working Through Digital/Experimental Archaeologies/Deep Mapping

    This paper is intended to act as introduction and guide to the Pallasboy Project - an ‘experimental archaeological’ investigation of the process of creation of prehistoric wooden artefacts recovered from wetland environments, beginning with the Irish Iron Age ‘vessel’ which gives its name to the project, and extending to include prehistoric wooden anthropomorphic figurines, notably the Iron Age Ballachulish ‘Goddess’ from Scotland (and most recently, an Iron Age wooden canoe, not discussed here).

    We hoped to draw different voices, perspectives and communities of practice (woodworkers, archaeologists, artists, students) into conversation around the archaeological and re/crafted artefacts and for this we drew inspiration from the practice of ‘deep mapping’ and in particular the theoretical approach of Springett (2015). In this paper we outline the role of digital techniques and approaches and also hope to encourage critical discussion concerning our approaches, experiences and methods. Other interactions or involvements in the project moving forwards are always welcomed.

    Re-crafting of the wooden artefacts was carried out by professional woodworker, Mark Griffiths, although other individuals also contributed to the process, with workshops on woodcrafting also held. The project has been meticulously documented by artist Brian Mac Domhnaill. Digital methods were central to the project as it unfolded, and to the creation of an open, interactive and (as far as possible) accessible archive. Other digital technologies included three dimensional laser scanning to record the re-crafted wooden artefacts and one of the original artefacts (The Ballachulish Goddess). We begin with a short introduction to recent debates in experimental archaeology concerning the uneasy relationship between ‘scientific’ method, research and public engagement.

    More, with onward links here
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l6ze1Jx0R24v-prcEuGWGIvxWE8YTJlmk_LKYv_Fq3w/edit
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: The Ballachulish anthropomorphic figure by Andy B on Wednesday, 21 November 2018
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The mysterious Ballachulish figure is a roughly life-sized figure of a girl or goddess, carved from a single piece of alder, with pebbles for eyes. It was found during building work in November 1880, under deep peat. It was lying face down on the gravel of an old raised beach, around 120 metres from the shore of Loch Leven. It might originally have stood beside a pool. The figure has been radiocarbon-dated to around 600 BC, making it over 2,500 years old, and belonging to a period when iron was beginning to be used in Scotland.

Ballachulish figure fact file
Date c.600 BC
Found November 1880, in Ballachulish, Nether Lochaber, Inverness-shire, Scotland
Made from Alder, with quartzite pebbles for eyes
Dimensions Height 1390mm, length 145mm, width 190mm
Museum reference X.KL 54
On display Early People, Level -1, National Museum of Scotland

https://www.nms.ac.uk/ballachulishfigure
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The Ballachulish anthropomorphic figure by Andy B on Sunday, 23 September 2012
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At Balachullish, in western Scotland, an anthropomorphic figure was found in a bog in 1880 by workmen building a wall. The figure, carved from a single piece of alder and with quartzite eyes, is female and stands almost 5 feet high. It has been dated to 730-520 BC, a period spanning the Late Bronze Age-Early Iron Age transition.

The pubic area is deeply carved and the figure appears to hold a phallic object over its abdomen; it may therefore have been a representation (or embodiment) of a fertility deity. The use of quartzite pebbles to create the eyes is interesting, it seems this material was considered to have magical qualities in prehistory.

The figure was found lying on its face in the bog. Above it were the remains of wickerwork panels, suggesting it may originally have stood in a shelter of some sort, overlooking the dangerous stretch of water where Lough Leven meets the sea. Here, a deity guarded a liminal zone, and parallels may have been drawn between the perils of travel and encounters with the other world.

More here
http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/content/case-study-balachullish
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