Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – SE 07359 44636
Also Known as:
- Carving no.13 (Hedges)
- Carving no.47 (Boughey & Vickerman)
Take the same directions as if you’re visiting the fascinating Wondjina Stone and its companion. From here, just a few yards to the west, are the large rocks overhanging the steep hill, several of which have cup-markings on them (including the carvings Rivock Nose [1] and [2]). This particular carving is the one closest to the wall. You can’t really miss it!
Archaeology & History
A simplistic design that’ll only be of interest to the real geeks amongst you; but you might as well give it your attention when you’re looking at the adjacent Wondjina Stone. On its large surface, the most notable ingredients are the three large cups that run (roughly) in a straight line from the middle of the stone to its outer pointy edge. You can see them pretty clearly in the photo. Several other cup-marks can be seen on the more northwesterly side of the stone.
It was first described in John Hedges (1986) survey, whose notes were simply copied in the subsequent survey of Boughey & Vickerman (2003) where, in their traditional way, gave a very basic description, saying, “Large gritstone outcrop: 3m x 2m. Five cups towards NW edge.”
References:
- Boughey, Keith & Vickerman, E.A., Prehistoric Rock Art of the West Riding, WYAS 2003.
- Hedges, John (ed.), The Carved Rocks on Rombald’s Moor, WYMCC: Wakefield 1986.
- Morris, Ronald W.B., “The Prehistoric Rock Art of Great Britain: A Survey of All Sites Bearing Motifs more Complex than Simple Cup-marks,” in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, volume 55, 1989.
© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian
