A MUSEUM initiative will see members of the public investigate some of Scotland’s prehistoric rock art.
The Kilmartin Museum – which re-opened at the start of September after a £7 million refurbishment – is welcoming archaeologists, students and volunteers to Carnasserie Farm in Argyll and Bute to investigate rock panels which has mystefied researchers for years.
The property lies in the renowned prehistoric landscape of Kilmartin Glen, which is known for its neolithic and bronze age archaeology.
The area features an unusually high concentration of carvings, characterised by cup and ring motifs, which have long fascinated researchers and the public alike.
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They are thought to have been created between 4000 and 5000 years ago, although the meaning of these abstract patterns has long been a subject of intrigue and speculation.
The project will focus on three rock art sites within the farm, which is strategically located at the crossroads of ancient routes.
This positioning allows the relationship between rock art, routeways, nearby monuments, and the broader landscape to be studied.
Activities will include recording and conservation work, and the ground surrounding the carvings will be carefully excavated by hand.
Kilmartin Museum’s collection contains more than 20,000 objects, many of which were discovered in the Kilmartin Glen including rare examples of quartz hammerstones used to make similar markings to the one’s found on Carnasserie Farm.
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It is hoped that the excavations may lead to similar discoveries and help scientists date the creation of the carvings.
The project kicks of on September 18 and runs until September 29 (excluding September 23, which is the scheduled Open Day with guided tours taking place to allow visitors to see the process first-hand).
The initiative is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, and the landowner Rosemary Neagle.
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