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Ballochmyle Carved Cliffs

Mauchline, East Ayrshire

Large image (800x537 - 59k) The right-hand face at Ballochmyle with dozens of cup and ring marks.
Large image (1112x756 - 92k) Close up of a cup mark with five rings and some additional linear marks.
Large image (642x766 - 50k) Many of the marks are shallow and weathering away. This cup is rather deep.
Large image (768x1164 - 94k) Spots, snake-like squiggles and loops - some of the stranger marks.
Large image (772x458 - 42k) A spotty circle - another unusual mark.
Large image (1132x752 - 94k) A wider view of the right-hand wall - several of the rings overlap.
Large image (812x714 - 78k) Three overlapping patterns.
Large image (1164x762 - 107k) More overlapping patterns.
Large image (1116x746 - 85k) A view of the left-hand face showing rows of cups and unusual rectangular marks.
Large image (900x632 - 47k) Another view of the left-hand face showing rows of cups and unusual rectangular marks.
Large image (900x591 - 67k) A cup and ring with radial markings.
Large image (900x535 - 68k) Back along the left-hand face.
Large image (900x600 - 73k) Another view of the right-hand face.
Large image (692x504 - 36k) Still more unusual marks.
Large image (900x591 - 66k) Rows of cups and rectangular marks.
Large image (1138x662 - 100k) Wide view of the left-hand face.
Large image (900x572 - 71k) Another view of some of the "weirdo" marks.
Large image (1164x620 - 84k) Note a faint ring with radial marks to the lower left of the three overlapping rings.
Large image (1110x640 - 220k) Wide view of the wall
Large image (1066x612 - 161k) Wide view of the wall
Large image (1104x646 - 227k) It is clearly seen that some of the marks are carved over other, older marks.
Large image (1098x638 - 230k) Another view of some of the more unusual marks.
Large image (676x928 - 189k) Detail of some of the stranger carvings.
Large image (949x648 - 192k) Detail of some of the stranger carvings.
Large image (936x676 - 152k) Rectilinear marks on the south wall.
Large image (706x568 - 134k) Close view of the deer carving on the south wall. The compass measures 45x90 mm. If you're interested, the deer is facing south!
Large image (926x616 - 159k) Slightly wider view - the deer is in the center.
Large image (986x660 - 180k) Still wider view - the deer is in the centre.

Ballochmyle lies just a few miles south of Kilmarnock. The River Ayr has cut an impressive gorge through the sandstone bedrock.

On a pair of vertical cliff faces a huge number of cup-and-ring marks (and a few other wierdoes) have been carved. There are squiggles and boxes, stars and spotty rings.

Some of the marks have clearly been added over older marks, but when the marks date to and whether they are all contemporary with each other is much harder to tell.

The sandstone is very soft and very weathered. The puzzling habit of some people of chalking or painting some of these marks serves only to hasten their loss as they are abraded away.

External Links:

Find Ballochmyle Carved Cliffs (or the nearest known site) at the Megalithic Portal