Kilmartin Glen: Cairnbaan Rock Art

The complexity of the decoration at Cairnbaan varies between outcrops. The carvings include:

• cups and cup and ring marks on all outcrops

• deep grooves on the eastern group

• conjoined multiple-ringed cups in the western group

• a broad, shallow cup with a single ring and a series of rays in the western group

A key feature of the Cairnbaan carvings is the deeply cut channels or gutters that run from the cup‑marks, through their rings, or across the rock surface. Similar carvings can also be found at nearby Kilmichael Glassary.

Kilmartin Glen has a rich prehistoric landscape that offers a fascinating glimpse into its early inhabitants. No other place in Scotland has such a high concentration of carved rock surfaces and Neolithic and Bronze Age sites.

We can only guess what the Neolithic people of the glen meant by these carvings. The designs are abstract and don’t show animals or humans.

It's been argued that the rock art acted as messages whose meanings were linked to the surrounding landscape. More complex carvings, like those at Cairnbaan, are usually found in lowland areas, while simpler designs tend to appear on higher ground.