Throughout Galloway there are many ancient stones bearing round indentations and rings. No-one knows what these represent and one expert says he has counted about a hundred possible explanations advanced by enthusiasts over the years.
What is agreed is that the stones and their “cup and ring markings” "cup and ball markings" are of great age, dating back thousands of years.
Outside the Stewartry Museum, in Castle Douglas, plaster casts of some of these baffling stones are on display. A hand-held board which can be collected inside the museum is written in elegant copperplate handwriting and gives the following information:
“The originals are on an outcrop of rock at the farm at Highbanks, Kirkudbright.
“Cup and Ring markings were man's first attempt at stone sculpture. They were carved at various dates from 3200BC to 700AD. Those shown here were probably made about 1600BC. No-one is certain of the meaning of the Cup and Ring markings but it was probably mystic or religious and in this case may have been made by early copper prospectors to invoke the help of the sun in their search.”
What's your theory?
Also, see earlier post "Cup and Ball markings baffle experts."
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