Maarten van Hoek The Geography of Cup-and-Ring ... - StoneWatch

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� CHAPTER 1.2.3 � NORTHUMBERLAND, VIEW OR INTERVISIBILITY ? Back from the Canary Isles ? Click this hyperlink ! � INTRODUCTION � Our third study area in Britain comprises the county of Northumberland in the north of England (Fig. 3). The landscape is characterised by two distinct landforms. On the English-Scottish border lies the huge volcanic dome of the Cheviot Hills consisting of lava’s surrounding a granite core. Originally the whole area was covered by sandstones from the Carboniferous, but most of this was eroded away when the dome was pushed upwards. Further away from the dome the sandstone layers remained in situ, but became tilted at first. Consequently they became eroded by rivers and glaciers and two distinct bands of harder rock now stand out. Especially east of the dome, two ridges of sandstone dominate the landscape. It is mainly these ridges where petroglyphs are found; only a few portable sandstones occur in the Cheviot Hills. * 1.2.3.1 PETROGLYPHS AND GEOMORPHOLOGY * * 1.2.3.1.1 Availability of suitable stone surfaces is the prime condition for rock art to develop in an area. In this respect we may distinguish four geomorphologic features in Northumberland that are related to the tilted position of the hard sandstone layers. In the valleys there are no outcrop rocks, as these have been silted up a long time ago. Then there are the impressive scarp slopes of hard sandstone, offering many suitable but mainly vertical surfaces. Only three sites in Northumberland have petroglyphs on vertical surfaces. At Goatscrag (Fig. 25) I discovered FIG. 25: GOATSCRAG. rare animal carvings in a rock shelter below a long escarpment featuring several cup-and-ring panels, but a relation between the two art forms proved highly unlikely (Van Hoek & Smith 1988: 33). At Cuddy’s Cove on Dod Law historical engravings occur on the vertical faces, although cup-and-rings once have been reported on the horizontal top of the cliff. At Corby Crags a circular engraving with a long groove is found on M. van HOEK: 42 GEOGRAPHY
top of a protruding rock shelter. In general one can state that the circular engravings of the Neolithic are completely lacking on vertical outcrop faces in Northumberland. This strongly contrasts with the fine site at Ballochmyle in western Scotland, where hundreds of cups and cup-and-rings appear on a huge vertical sandstone cliff ! Northumberland’s sandstone ridges occasionally feature outcrop stacks, often in weird shapes, possibly once detached from the main scarp slope. Also these impressive rock formations have been avoided by the petroglyph manufacturers, although at one site, Caller Crag, I discovered a large number of small cupules (facing the hill slope) on a the vertical part of a large outcrop stack (Van Hoek 1989: 15). * 1.2.3.1.2 It is on the gentle dip slope that the great majority of the petroglyphs has been executed. As only a thin layer of earth or turf covers the bedrock, it is easily exposed, especially on the highest ground. Also on these dip slopes are several minor ridges of sandstone, offering suitable surfaces for engraving. But also in Northumberland differential selecting processes, often hard to understand, were at work. Why where some outcrops selected and others nearby, equally suitable, neglected ? Several explanations have been put forward, relating distribution patterns to (contemporary ?) monuments in the area (Beckensall 1983; Bradley 1997), to long distance migration (Van Hoek 1982; Bradley 1997) and to short distance mobility (Bradley 1997). Again the true story is complex and much is still obscure, but it becomes more and more accepted that the position of the petroglyphs is related to the movements of the people across the landscape and to the landscape itself. But are there rules dictating the location of the petroglyph sites ? No doubt there will have been choices that are culturally determined, but in my opinion matters of chance and the personal liking of the manufacturer can definitely not be ruled out. * 1.2.3.2 DOUBTFUL AND CERTAIN LINES * Northumberland’s geomorphology easily gives rise to the establishing of lines of visibility between rock art sites. Wide views are common in this area. But does this mean that petroglyphic sites have deliberately been selected conform lines of intervisibility ? This view seems to be held by Bradley (1997: 88) “…each major complex may be linked to only one or two other locations with rock carvings, forming a network of connections along the major valley system, which extends from southeast to north-west. The rocks themselves cannot be picked out over such long distances, but it is certainly possible to identify the natural locations where they are found”. M. van HOEK: 43 GEOGRAPHY
Page 1: The World of Petroglyphs CD Special
Page 4 and 5: Impressum: Stonewatch Society for c
Page 7 and 8: M. van HOEK: GEOGRAPHY INDEX PART 1
Page 9 and 10: lifetime job. For instance, it took
Page 11 and 12: * 1.1.2 THE LIMITS OF THE SUBJECT *
Page 13 and 14: geomorphologic characteristics of t
Page 15 and 16: The Irish island has three major op
Page 17 and 18: � CHAPTER 1.2.1 � THE KILMARTIN
Page 19 and 20: It is certain that, also in the Kil
Page 21 and 22: possible site of menhir 8 are surro
Page 23 and 24: interfered with their observations.
Page 25 and 26: * 1.2.1.2 PETROGLYPHS AND INTERVISI
Page 27 and 28: * 1.2.1.2.1.1 The west route initia
Page 29 and 30: and the possible landing site. View
Page 31 and 32: photo photo photo FIG. 14: THE EAST
Page 33 and 34: Achnabreck is a complex of nine wid
Page 35 and 36: standing stone in Fig. 6) and for t
Page 37 and 38: The situation in the study area dif
Page 39 and 40: art sites in the study area (and el
Page 41 and 42: major route through the interior, a
Page 43 and 44: * 1.2.2.1.3 Still further east anot
Page 45 and 46: the rock art groups as their ritual
Page 47: elatively level land. These groups
Page 51 and 52: map map map map map FIG. 26b: BRADL
Page 53 and 54: impossible that these two sites eve
Page 55 and 56: * 1.2.3.2.5 The group north of Roth
Page 57 and 58: illus FIGURE 32: VIEWS FROM THE CHA
Page 59 and 60: not mean that this has been intende
Page 61 and 62: concentrations of stone circles and
Page 63 and 64: my study area. Their distribution m
Page 65 and 66: on the coast opposite Muros peninsu
Page 67 and 68: illus FIGURE 39: PETROGLYPH SITES A
Page 69 and 70: FIG.42: SANTA TECLA, CASTRO. instan
Page 71 and 72: small bit of the Taxes valley (mark
Page 73 and 74: Moreover, from whatever direction t
Page 75 and 76: argue that all these sites command
Page 77 and 78: One petroglyph outcrop stone is eve
Page 79 and 80: � CHAPTER 1.3.2 � GARGAMALA, A
Page 81 and 82: FIGURE 52: VISIBILITY FROM THE SITE
Page 83 and 84: encircle the ridge. Also the distri
Page 85 and 86: idge, centring on sites 3 and 4. Wh
Page 87 and 88: APPENDIX 1 AN INVENTORY OF THE ROCK
Page 89 and 90: Group 7C. Described by COSTAS GOBER
Page 91 and 92: and is approximately 1 to 0.5 cm de
Page 93 and 94: � CHAPTER 1.4 � THE ALPS, THE B
Page 95 and 96: * 1.4.1.1.1 There indeed prove to b
Page 97 and 98: * 1.4.1.1.2 Although the Alps are r
Page 99 and 100:
FIG. 63: PART OF COREN DE LE FATE,
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floodplain of the valley of the Upp
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This rock also features a small cup
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idge called Crete des Barmes, only
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� CHAPTER 1.4.2 � ELVAS AND SPR
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photo photo photo photo FIG. 77: TH
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found linearly grouped along a stee
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undertaken (Figs 84 and 85). The tr
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FIGURE 87: SPRONS 2. The lack of ro
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especially dealing with the distrib
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In many rock art regions there seem
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occur in a vast area. Many cupules
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� CHAPTER 1.5.1 � DISTRIBUTION
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icecap first caused the land to sin
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the study area, especially in Swede
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illus. illus. FIG. 97: ROCK ART DIS
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islands in bays or in lake systems
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* 1.5.3.1.1 It is remarkable that r
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* 1.5.3.2.2 Probably the youngest r
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* 1.5.3.2.4.1 Almost every part of
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claiming the rock art at Helgaberg/
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This notch is also the first natura
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Another cupuled stone has been repo
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Swedish distribution moreover echoe
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APPENDIX 2. Spreadsheet summarising
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APPENDIX 4. A HORDALAND (Area 2) 37
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APPENDIX 6 There is always a proble
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� CHAPTER 2.1 � DISTRIBUTION OF
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centripetal pull. Not only impressi
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* 2.1.1 THE ALPINE SITUATION * We a
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* 2.1.2 THE BRITISH ISLES * Contrar
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FIGURE 129. BALLOCHMYLE. THIS IS A
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* 2.1.3 GALICIA * Unfortunately, th
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The distribution in south Sweden is
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� CHAPTER 2.2 � INSTANCES OF
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G stops at motif D. This proves tha
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example occurs at Gargamala 7J, Gal
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“....but 3 is special. It is one
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ILLUS FIGURE 140: ROCK ART ON TOP O
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* 2.2.1.1.3 GREENLAND * Unfortunate
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In my opinion, the Greenland raft o
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FOSSUM VITLYCKE HERREBRO LÖKEBERG
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on the same panel as the boat figur
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Equally, cup-and-rings sometimes ha
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Could this be an indication of a ma
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Such human figures have been labell
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earlier rosette figures and the cup
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FIGURE 155: FINNTORP, PHASES OF ENG
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solar symbolism as well. Later in t
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� CHAPTER 2.2.4 � GALICIA: THE
Page 205 and 206:
animals, probably because of lack o
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The fact that this is not the case,
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FIGURE 161: OS CARBALLOS. M. van HO
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� SCANDINAVIAN SOLAR ANIMALS �
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of the two smaller animals at Lombo
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For the rest, combinations of cup-a
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place in rather peaceful cultures,
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A B� FIG. 174: A: RI CRUIN CIST;
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If indeed this engraving is a true
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other sites known to depict weaponr
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Illapel and La Silla belong to the
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* 3.1.3 COMPLEX MOTIFS * From the a
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� 3.2 THE CUP-AND-RING IN EUROPE
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The best way to achieve and maintai
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executed. This may explain why the
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and it seems that cup-and-ring site
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* 3.2.3 ENTRANCES TO THE SPIRIT WOR
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suggested that cupules symbolise th
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* 3.2.5 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CUPULES
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These migrations and explorations c
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andomly placed on the rocks, were e
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Later in the Neolithic more revolut
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The section below serves to acknowl
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14. BEDNARIK, R. G. 1996. Early roc
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39. COSTAS GOBERNA, F. J., NOVOA Á
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63. MARK, R. & NEWMAN, E. 1995. Cup
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88. PETTERSSON, J. & G. KRISTIANSSO
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113. VAN HOEK, M. 1988b. Possible
Page 261:
137. VAN HOEK, M. & SMITH, C. 1988.
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Maarten van Hoek The Geography of Cup-and-Ring ... - StoneWatch

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