Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

This afternoon, I am posting information on the prehistoric, Temple Wood circles which form part of the Kilmartin Glen prehistoric landscape in Argyll, West of Scotland.

This site has a long history dating back to 3500 BC and was in use for about 2000 years. The site comprises two circles of which the northern site (image immediately below this text) was erected first, probably using wood. Like many stone circles it may have had an observatory function.

The second (main) circle to the south (image no 2 and video) was constructed about 3000BC subsequent to which burials in cists were added. In one of the cists was found a pottery beaker with arrowheads and these can viewed at the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life in Glasgow.

Carbon dating indicates that the site was still in use about 1400BC.

Archaeological investigations have revealed considerable, detailed knowledge of this site which is easy to access.

This evening, I am posting images and information concerning just one facet of the Scotland’s major prehistoric site, Kilmartin Glen, Argyll.

These images show the remaining six out of at least seven original standing stones. It is evident they are grouped in two parallel lines, each running south east-north west. The line consisting of four stones includes two stones which are decorated with cup marks and cup-and-ring marks. For detail of these marks see video below. Remember that these carvings were patiently chipped out with only rock tools and hence the carvings required a significant amount of time and skill resources. It appears that each stone in the line of four is slightly shorter than its neighbour, a feature found in standing stones elsewhere in the country. The two stones which stand together are undecorated.

Cremated bone was found under the stump of the missing seventh stone.

These stones may once have formed part of a much larger complex of monuments and earthworks.

An interesting site, which should be viewed in context of the wider Kilmartin Glen prehistoric landscape.

This evening, I am focusing on the extensive collection of medieval grave slabs at Kilmartin Church, Argyll in the West of Scotland. The slabs shown in the videos below date from the 14th-15th centuries and are classified as from the Loch Awe School. It will be noted that the carvings show swords, crosses and armoured figures. However, inscriptions are rare and hence little is known of the slabs’ social context.

For visitors planning to tour the prehistory sites in Kilmartin Glen, a stop at the church is worthwhile, both to view the slabs and view the Glen (valley) from a high aspect. The church is close to the museum and information centre at head of the Glen.

• Cup at he centre of concentric rings.
• Oval and round cups of varying sizes.
• Cup and duct at the centre of concentric rings.
• One group of cup-centred rings cuts into another.
• Cup and rings with long ducts.
• A horned spiral

Overall, there are some 323 carvings comprising 183 cup marks, 135 cup and ring marks, 2 spirals and a few other designs. Some key features:

• All carvings with four or more concentric rings have at least one radial groove.
• The majority of grooves run downhill
• The carvings are virtually invisible in the noonday midsummer sin but very prominent in low midwinter sun.

The visitor to Kilmartin Glen should include this site in the tour.

Today, I provided a tour to the prehistoric site at Kilmartin Glen on the west of Scotland. This is about 2 hours from Glasgow. During course of the day, the weather progressively deteriorated but despite and the associated poor light conditions, we achieved most of our objectives.

En route we called in at Inveraray Castle to take some external pics and avail of some light refreshment. This castle is more of a grand mansion and is home to the Duke of Argyll, Chief of Clan Campbell. It is open to the public during the tourist season. Next we moved on to Kilmartin Glen first stopping to view the prehistoric rock art at Achnabreck. Then up to the Kilmartin Museum for a spot of lunch after which we visited the adjacent church to photograph a fascinating collection of medieval slab graves. We then visited or viewed:

• Glebe Cairn
• Nether Largie South Cairn
• Temple Wood Stone Circles
• Nether Largie Stones
• Ballymeanoch Stones
• Ballymeanoch Kerb Cairn
• Dunchraigaig Cairn
• Dunadd Fort

After this tour, undertaken in driving rain, we were utterly soaked to the skin but, nevertheless, considered the day a productive one.

Inveraray Castle

Inveraray Castle
Nether Largie Standing Stones

Rock Art at Achnabreck

Medieval grave slab at Kilmartin

Medieval grave slabs at Kilmartin Church

Aspect of Temple Wood Stone Circle which dates from about 3500 BC

Dunchraigaig Cairn

Aspect of Dunchraigaig Cairn

Ballymeanoch Stones

Achnabreck carvings. These decorated outcrops from the most extensive group of pre-historic carvings in Scotland. The most common motif is a hollow or cup surrounded by up to seven rings, often with a gutter running from the cup outwards.

Achnabreck

Achnabreck

Achnabreck

Achnabreck

Temple Wood Stone Circle
Nether Largie Standing Stones. These may have been used in the second millenium BC. Three of the stones are decorated with carvings

Chambered Cairn at Nether Largie South

View from inside Nether Largie South; this was built around 3000BC

Nether Largie North with Kilmartin in background