CUP4IAKKED STONES NEAR9 ABERFELDY10 .

IV.

NOTICE OF CUP-MAEKED STONES NEAR ABEEFELDY. BY THE EBV. HUGH MACMILLAN, D.D., LL.D., F.S.A. SCOT.

Few districts in Britain have more numerous examples of prehistoric sculpture than that whic s hcomprisei d withi na radiu mile5 r f 4o :o s s around the village of Aberfeldy, in the Highlands of Perthshire. Up- ward f twento s y well-marked specimens occu n thii r s districtd an ; though they do not diverge much from the common type, yet they exhibit individual peculiarities which make eac f theho m well worthf yo e beautifuvisita Th . l e interestinscenerth d yan g associatione th f o s spot whicn si h the foune yar d len theo dt additionan ma l charm. Above e highesth t waterfal f Monesso l e well-knowth , n Birk f Aberfeldyo s , which Burn immortalises sha songn di , n uplanthera s ei d hamlet called bees Urlarha n t inhabiteI . d from time immemorial housed ol e sth t bu ; have disappeared, and only a modern shooting-lodge now remains. It is a lonely spot, surrounde n oasia f cultivatedy o sb d verdur e midsth n i te of brown heath-covered moorlands littlA . e beyon e shooting-lodgth d e ther mouna s ei d left untille e midsgrassa th p f to o n t i dye fieldth n o , of which there are obscure traces of a cairn. On the lower side of this mound a small ridge of rock projects a few inches above the side, s outeit n ro exposed an d edge ther e thirty-twar e o well-executed cups (fig. 1), from two to three inches in diameter, and about an inch in depth. e s turencroacheha Th f d mean upoy a shoveb e rock f t nth o s bu I ,l remove a dconsiderabl e portio , disclosinit f o n g several additional cups. f roce haro Th s kdi mica slate prevailine th , ge district th roc f d o kan , s beeha n considerably weatherede cupsth t , protecteBu . y greb d y crustaceous lichens, have sustained very little injur theiy yb r lon- gex posure. One part of the rock has on it a group of four larger and deeper cups than the others, connected with one another by means of inter- mediate grooves. One of the grooves opens out upon the edge of the rock, indicatin otherse e e outleth th Th f gs meano e t.b tha wa o t t i t positio f thino s remarkable sculptured easte commandd rocdu an , s ki sa 110 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 14, 1884. magnificen te dee vieth pf w o richl y woodee th f de Birkso delth d f o lan , highly ciiltivated valley of Strathtay, bounded in the distance by the mountain ranges of Ben Vrackie and Ben-y-ghloe, in Athole. Like the monks of old, who chose the most beautiful places for the sites of their monasteries and abbeys, the prehistoric people seem also to have selected for their rude stone monument e mosth s t prominent positions, from whenc e grandesth e d mosan t t extensive e surroundinviewth f o s g country might be obtained. Especially was this the case with regard to cup-marked rocks, whose localities are more restricted in area than cup-marked boulders, whic l e founkindal ar h f n situationdi so s almost indiscriminately. Onl e otheyon r cup-marked rocs beeha k n founn di

Fig. 1. Edge of Rock with Cup-Marks at Urlar, Aberfeldy.

this part of Perthshire, the splendid example of Craggan-tol, or the Rock- of-Holes, at the foot of Ben Lawers, about 14 miles distant; and it too, likUrlae eth r rock, occupie prominensa t position commandin gmagnia - ficent view. The examples of rock sculpture on Ilkley Moor in York- shire, near "Wooler in Northumberland, and at Crinan in Argyllshire, have all the same peculiarity. shorA t distance abov e villageth Aberfeldyf eo , where General Wade's old road emerges from the houses, a huge stone, called the Clach Mhor, lies on the left-hand side in a slanting position half erect, as if supported gardee byth n wal whicf o l t formi h formes i parta st I harf .do d mica slate interspersed with veins of l .likelihoo quartzal n I . t originalli d y stood erect, and formed one of a group of similar stones, its companions CUP-MARKED STOKES NEAR ABERFELDY. Ill

having been broken up in the formation of the road. I am led to form this conjecture fro face mth t tha e eminencname th th t slop e f eo th en eo of whic t e i hstand" th Tullich, s i s " which mean a tumuluss d an , must hav etime beeon e t nassociatea d with sepultur religiour eo s worship. On the upper face there are some small cup-markings, not quite so well- formed as usual, owing to the hardness of the material. There is a tradition that those marks were mad o receivet e grapplineth g ironf so General Wade's sapper d mineran s thein i s r effort rais o removt d s ean e stone th e away fro t e roadthimth Bu s . traditio obviousls ni aften ya r suppositio o accounnt r markingsfo t e f whictruo th , ee hnaturus d an e ager fo s d beeha n forgotten. Thein peculiaritiesow r face th t d thaan , t they occur on only one side of the stone, and are scattered indiscriminately l ove al s surfaceit r skilles e i sufficien ar o , n di wh o convince t t on y an e the subject that they are genuine specimens of prehistoric sculpture. Following this road farther up, some obscure cup-marks may be seen o hugna e stone lying beside others equally large, behin gardene dth a f so rude hamlet called Tigh-an-leachan. This Gaelic twofola nam s ha ed signification meay ma n t eitheI House .Stonese House th rth th f eo r o ,e of the Hill Pasture. It is probable that a wild common was called Leachan, from the fact that it was always rough with boulders, in contradistinction to the fields around the homestead, which were cleared of stones, and covered uniformly with smooth grass. In this sense, the name of the place is not now appropriate; hut I remember in my boy- hood that this hamlet marked the limit of cultivation in this direction, and that beyond it, up the hill, stretched wild, marshy boulder-strewn pasturage for the cows of the village, which had never been broken up by spad ploughr eo . About half a mile beyond Tigh-an-leachan, is Pitilie, the residence of my friend the Eev. John Maclean, who has made a special study of the cup-marked e stonedistrictth f o s ; mos s himself whico ha t e h f dis- s e beneficompanhi th f coveredd o t ha n visitini y I e .differen th g t indebtem a I e informatior mucth dfo m f examplehi o h o t nd san ; contained in this report. In the farm-yard beside his house, among a numbed quernsol f o r , mill-stones d stonan , e lamps s preservedi , r fo , greater security slaa , f micaceoubo s schist whic originalls hwa y fount a d 2 11 PEOCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 188414 Y .

Gatehouse Generan o , l Wade' roadd wasd sol an ,, aboubrokee b o t tp nu into buildin e sideon , n gobviouslo materials ha e undet I yth . r side, seventeen cups rudely formed, one of which has a well-defined ring round havy ma e d beeitan ; n usea a cistcove s r da , fo rwhic probabls hwa y destroyed whil roae beins eth dwa g littlfiela a made t n da I e distanc. e off, among others protruding abov e soileth , ther flaa s ti e stone almost covered wite grassth h y sodn whicho , , whe I nremove e turfth dI , exposed nine shallow cups of unusually small size, which had been almost obliterated by weathering. On Murthly Farm, about 300 yards farther east, there is an extensive mound with large boulders laid along its sides, in somewhat regular lines, as if forming the foundation of some primitive fortification. Mane boulderth f yo s have been broke pieceo nt s by gunpowde partialld ran y removed thin I s. way I hav, doubto en , some interesting prehistoric objects have been destroyed. But there are no less than seven cup-marked stones still remaining on the spot. The most remarkable is a large mass weighing about 14 tons, of greenish grey, coarsely crystalline granular diorite, rounde rubbed dan d smoothle th n yo surface by glacial action, and marked by deep, straight artificial-looking furrows. This boulde s evidentlrwa (fig) 2 . y transported froa m mountain e rangnorth-easth o et f Glenlochayo t mile0 4 , s distant, where intrusive sheets and dykes of this mineral of considerable extent may be found in situ among the crystalline schists. On the highest part of this boulder there are ten cups more or less distinct, one of which has a ring n ovad anothea roun an f l o , shapedit s i r inche6 , s4 inche lond gan s wide s sid,it witey b connectesmala h p cu l a verd y wityb short i h t groove. This is by far the largest cup in the Aberfeldy district. There is one double the size at Killin; and at Tirarthur, near that place, there five ar e cups almos e veia Murthls larg th a f tn n o o s ea t you onet cu , primitive limestone, protruding abov e micth e a e hillsideschisth f o t . This strange variatio e cupmystera th size s si f th eo n ni y upon whico hn light as yet has been thrown. The large cup on the Murthly boulder has had its sides injured of late by some persons trying to make it larger deeperd difference an Th . e betwee modere e ancienth th n d nan t work t onca s ei perceptible e stone slopth th f een o therO smoota . s ei h slide, which has long been used by the children of the neighbouring farm who CUP-MARKED- STOtfES NEAR ABEKFELDY. 113

come her playo et . Boulder f thiso s peculiar mineral substance seemed to have formed the favourite tablets of the prehistoric sculptors of the locality; for most of the examples of cup-marking in the neigh- bourhoo e found ar n theseo d . Such boulder e abundantar s , scattered singl n groupse i gentl r th yo n yo , slopin e southg th a hil sid o f t l-o e eas f Aberfeldyo t , called Stro a nGhamhuin . The e conspicuouslyar y different fro e othemth r stones beside them theid an ; r smooth polished surfaces and hard crystalline substance, on which impressions once made woul lone b d g retained d naturallle , o theit y r being selecter fo d sculpturing purposes in preference to all others.

Fig. 2. Diorite Boulder with Cup-marks at Murthly Farm, Aberfeldy.

Nea e bouldeth r n questioi r a confuse s ni d mas f otheo s r large flat boulders, mos thef o t micf ms o thirty-si ha a e slated On en x.e cupon t sa closelo s , oit yf grouped together that thi e stons th parhoneys i f e o t - combed with them. Another of the same material, with a good deal of s compositioit iro n i n stainindara f ko t colourgi , lying horizontally, has thirty-two cups gathered together about the centre of the stone, one of which is surrounded by a single ring, and another by a double ring; while, in three instances, two cups are connected together by means of short intermediate grooves. The workmanship on this stone is therefore more elaborat otherse th indicated el an thaal , n no s either greater skill e sculptor th pare o f na th greate o t r o , r developmen primitive th f o t e VOL. XVIII. H 114 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 14, 1884.

symbolism thirA . d ston s partlei y groune burie th covered n an i d d wite exposeth h n mosso dt surfacebu ; s ther e threar e e distinct cups, e mucon hd largean shallowerd an r , with grooves leading fro t anmi d disappearin a fissure n i gfourt A a comparativel. s i h y thin slaf bo micaceous schist thas beeha t n shattere o piecet d gunpowdery b s r a, fo , e blastinth par f o e portiot gth holn s O nstili e tha . l it tsee n o n remains ther e threar e e cups abou o inchetw t s deep e larged on , an r shallower, and one with a circle only, without a depression in its centre, whic interestinn a s hi g peculiarity largA . e flat smooth mas f dioritso e f ito ; p anothelyine fainto on e g te fielth s rapar .cuth ha n do pn i t micaceous boulder nea t han a s ralse cup ha don o ; whil ethira d stone much larger by its side, and covered with moss, has three distinct cups. The name of the mound on which this remarkable group of cup-marked stones occur s i Tom-an-Eilbhs , whic s i capablh f receivino e g several interpretations supposes i t I derive e .som y b b d o t e d fro peculiama r kind of ploughing; turning over the soil in alternate furrows. This is not satisfactory e namth r e fo , must obviousl e oldeb y r thaagriy an n- cultural operation. It has been suggested that the spot originally abounde Ealblmidh,n di e Gaelith t John'S ce namth s r wortefo , from which circumstanc t obtainei e s namedit morA . e probable derivation, however fros i , m Dealbh r DeilWiin,o a littl e imag r pictureo e . There may have been here in primitive times some image or sculptured figure held sacred by the inhabitants of the place. Within the last thirty years a hamlet stood on the site, and a smith's forge ; and the explanation which the people of the neighbourhood gave of the cup-marks which they had noticed on the stones, was that they had been produced by the smith when testing the temper of his boring tools—an explanation which is interestin s showina g mythw y arisho gn moderma i se n times, even where there are ample means of ascertaining the exact truth. The houses of the hamlet have been cleared away ; not a single stone of their structure remains ; but the large boulders of the primitive construction, owing to the great difficulty involved in removing them, have fortunately been left where they stood. About half a mile below this mound there is another tree-covered height called Tom-a-Caletuinn e mounth r f o hazels,o d , overhangine gth CUP-MAKKEU STONES NEAK ABERFELDY, 115

hig bace h th f thiroad kt o sA .eminenc e ther heaa s elargf i p o e boulders, one of which, almost square in shape, of the peculiar diorite already referred to, has numerous distinct cup-markings on its level upper sur- face. The boulder slopes to the west, and is placed at a point which commande finesth f t o e districtviewe th on s n si , includin e magnifigth - cent plains throug y hflows whicTa ,e th hbounde lofte th y y rangb d e e Glenlyon Lawerth Be od f an sn mountains. Ascendin e lonth g g gentle declivity of the hill to the south-east of Pitilie, the visitor finds several hamlet farm-housesd an s , surrounde cultivatey b d d e fieldth n i s midst of the waste pasturages. These places were once densely peopled; but only a solitary family is now left, where scores formerly lived in rude comfort. Frequent ruin d desertedan s sites remin sadle on df yo the vanished population. At the first hamle e comeon t o thert se ar e numerous boulder f dioriteo s , which show some proofs of design in their arrangement thesn o d e an cup-mark; - ings occu n greatei r r leso r s abund- d ancdistinctnessan e e hugOn e. boulder especiall a ver f yo y (fig, 3) . roug d harhan d diorite, forming part a omegalithif c circle s sixteeha , n well-executed cups carved on it, one of which larger than the others has a fine rin gd othe o rounan tw r, it d are linked together by means of an intermediate groove. Among the cups some rusti s recentlha c y carved jfjg. 3 . Cup-Stone at Braes of e letterth s DM feeblyo s ; , however, Cultallich. that the weather will soon indig- nantly wipe it away, leaving the more substantial work of the pre- historic sculpto o endurt r e through e e contrasagesth Th . s mosi t t striking and suggestive ! The name of the hamlet where this specimen occurs is Braes of Cultalich; this word meaning a small mound or tumulus, in contradistinction to Grantully, which means a large mound or 116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 14, 1884. tumulus, and is the general name of the district. The name suggests that this place must once have been use r sepultures pri fo d ot i d an ; bable that the modern hamlets bearing the same name occupy the sites of forgotten burying-grounds. This circumstance would explain the abundance of cup-marked stones in the neighbourhood; for we have reaso o believt n e that these symbols were frequently connected with sepulchral remains. Oe samnth e farm, belongin r ScrimgeourM o t g , ther flaa s tei square ston micaceouf eo s schis tgoo n whicte ds e cup-markhha th n i d itn an so ; farm-yard, projecting gardee fro th e wal d mhalf-concealef th o nan l y db turf and masonry, there is a still finer example of prehistoric sculpture (fig. 4). We' got the farmer and his son to remove as much of the

Fig. 4. Cup-Stoue at Braes of Cultallich. turf and masonry as possible, and we found the stone to be a long- shaped diorite boulder, half-split throug e middleth h , evidently long- after the sculptures were made, containing on either side of the cleavage, arranged in three almost parallel rows along the whole length of the stone, eighteen clips, e smallesth f whico t s threhwa e inche diameten si r and about two inches deep, remarkably well-executed and well-defined. largeOnp ecu r tha othere circla n th d esha I havroun . ed it seldo m seen cup admirablo s y carve s thesea d , showing that they were made with grea f superioo t d card toilai r wit an ero e , e toolsarrangeth h Th . - men parallen i t l row d uncommosan markw ne a sn departure froe th m familiar type. We noticed beside this prehistoric stone two rough stone-mortars or " knocking-stones " of the same material, which until a CUP-MARKED STONES NEAR ABEBPELDY. 117

recent perio beed d ha nmanufactur e th use r dfo f pot-barleyeo n a s i t I . interesting circumstance that cup-marks are not unfrequently found associated with large cavities or basins executed beside them in the same stone, which have been use s mortara d s withi e lasnth t century. On the shooting range behind the village of Killin there is a good e th f o exampl e d hamleton ol f thio d n e a an e s sit, f th kino e n o d inhabitant village th f so e tolbors tha e r mother dtham n wa n i he t o t wh , hamlet, remembered this basin bein e gmanufactur th use r dfo f eo pot-barle s r i youth he t I n i .y eight inches in diameter and six inches deep d aroune ar an ; t i d grouped eight somewhat obscure cups, a halfro n incd fa man h to three inches in diameter. At Balvarron, near Kirkmichaele th , birthplace of General Keid, the compose e tuneth f ,o r Gare "Th b of Old Gaul," of well-known con- cert fam n Edinburghi e , thers i e a large flattish stone in a field, with four very large basins, a foot in diameter and 8 inches deep, scooped out on its surface (fig. 5). These, however, are not associated with smaller cups. Conjunction f largo s e basind an s Fig. 5. Cup-Stone at Balvarron, near common cup e founar s n othei d r Kirkmichael, Perthshire. e countryth part f o s , especially in Inverness-shire. They may have a common or related origin; but the question may at least be suggested, whether the large basins were not ancient corn-grinders or rubbers in use before the quern was known. In remote parts of North America and in Cale- fornia d villag,ol neae eth r sites inhabite e morth ey b dstationar y Indian tribes, huge boulders and rocks are often found with one or more 8 11 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 188414 Y .

large circular cavities hollowe f theo stony t mb dou e implementsd an , serving as stationary mortars for trie trituration of grain, the possession whole oth f e e tribeaveragTh . e widt f sucho h cavitie littla s si e over 13 inches and the depth two or three inches less,—the dimensions of the Kirkmichael basins. In one instance, wide grooves are cut between two of these cavities; one being used probably for pulveris- ing the grain, and the other as a receptacle for the meal. By the French, such stones, which als oe Continenoccuth n o r f Europeo t e ar , called pierres a basins, and by the Germans Muldensteine. Reasoning fro analoge mth f similayo r example withie us e las th n si t century yb the North American savages, it admits of being suggested that the large basin ofteo s s n connected with cup-marking r countryou n i s , hava e differen e tfro us origim d thesan n e cup-markings werd ,an n pari et a t least the mortars in which the prehistoric people pounded their fruits or cereals. In the Western Islands of Scotland are cup-markings, indis- crimately called orotagan, wora d which means little mortars. Another farm higher up, belonging to Mrs Robert Stewart, is called the Upper Braes of Cultallich; and at this place a fine stone may be seen with twenty good cups on it, two of which are connected together ba lony g semicircula re immediat grooveth n I . e neighbourhoof o d this stone are the foundations of an ancient Celtic church, which may be distinctly traced on a high green mound overhanging a picturesque moorland burn. Nothing but the name of the mound Knoc-na- Eaglais e moune churchth ,th f s surviveo d ha ,e tradition th f o d s that may have been connected with it. Numerous traces of old Celtic churches exist in the district. There is a Croft of the Church—as it is calle n Gaelic—ii d westere e wooth nth t a d n entranc e Fallth f f so eo Moness.- Aberfeld s i ysuppose o havt d e derive s namit d e frot mS Palladius or Paldy; and a curious local myth regarding a mysterious brownie or anchorite who haunted the recesses of the " Birks," and seems to have been especially kind to the people of the village, is iden- tified with this famous saint t Cuthbers hermitagS .hi e d th ha tn i e Roc Weemf ko , wher cross ehold hi san y welstily seene lb ma . Adamnan too is connected with Dull; and the rude old crosses associated with his name are standing at the present day in the market-place of this village, after having afforded sanctuary for many generations. CUP-MAEKED STONES NEAK ABEKK'ELDY. 119

Following the old peat road to the south-east, beyond the highest farms into the moorland, you come upon a large flattish stone (fig. 6) of micaceous schist greea n o ,n mound amon heathee gth r besid e patheth . It. was slightly tilted to the north-east; and half of it had been split off by frost within comparatively recen d slippet ha times d dan , down, leaving the upper cloven part covered partially with turf. This stone is the finest of all the examples in e districtth . Ther e thirtyar e - seven cups carved deeply and distinctly all over its surface; one of which is much larger than visual, and has a splendid ring around it—another hala f ring, and no less than four groups of two cups each are connected together by long grooves. This stons lonwa eg familiar to the old people of districte th passeo wh ,t i ofted n on their way to and from the peat-bogs in the hill during the summer t sinc universae Bu eth . l use of coal has banished this in- dustry e pats verth , ha hy nearly disappeared, being covered witha Fig. 6. Cnp-Stone beside peat road dense growt f heatherho , like eth on Grantully Hill, above Upper moorlande th res f e stono t Th e. Cultallich. is therefore rarely visited now, recollectioe s th almos ha d t an i t f passeno e immediatd th away n I . e neighbourhood thermouna s i e d called Tom-na-Tibbert calleo s , d from a well which in all likelihood in primitive times had sacred virtues impute l arounal d o itt ddan ; ther e tracear e f cairno sd ancienan s t cultivation, indicating that this region was once largely inhabited, while the lower parts of the strath were covered with impenetrable forests and swamps e hauntth , f wilso d beasts. 120 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 14, 1884.

e farm-housth t A f Laidneskeao e , Grantully, abou o miletw t s north- east, ther larga s ei e square boulde f diorito r e , (figstandin7) . g upright, d forminan g a retaininpar f o t g wall by the side of a county road leading to the farm. It is a fine specimen, covered with twenty- three large well-executed cups, tw f whico largee har r thae th n others, and have rings around them, and other two groups of two each are connected by means of intermediate grooves. This stone must have been originally pecularite horizontalth s i t i r y fo ; of this district that, with the soli- tary exceptio e Clacth f nho Mhor Aberfeldyat , cup-marknot are s Fig . Diorit7 . e Stone at;Laidneskea, found on upright stones as in Grautully. other localities, but are confined to stones lying on the ground, or slightly tilted over. Between the old church of Grantully and the high road, by the side of a footpath which from a remote period has connected the two, and is still used, there is a rough mound covered with boulders, and marked by tall upright stones, left in a wild state among the cultivated fields. It is clothed with a tangled vegetation of brambles, sloes, and hazel bushes. This mound is called " Na Carr'n," or the'cairns. Eows of large cairns exist in the place; e plougheth an n i d d field thera rud s i e hollowed stone whics hwa either a font of the old 'church or a primitive mortar. Several cup- marked stones were once found here; hut they have got covered over with turfdisappeared an , d from gooo viewdTw specimen. s still remain above ground , s fivhoweverha e e cupsOn ., withou y peculiarityan t ; othere th d , an lying flat s quiti , e covered with unusually larg deed ean p cups well formed herd-boA . y use o notict d e that these cups were always filled with water after rain whe e grounth n d aroun s driewa d d CUP-MARKED STONES NEAR ABERFELDY. 121

e soughupH ; t them, therefore, when thirsty d thian s; circumstance stone th le eo dt being talked districte abouth n i t . e neighbourhooTh f thio d s plac s i especialle y interestine th o t g antiquarian A larg. e moun f fino d e white san a littldy off wa e, was a placuse s f prehistoria o de c sepulture s i suppose t I .o t d be the mound or tumulus from which Grantully takes its name. Twenty-seven years ago I , notice l ovee al ridgd th f ro thi e s mound stones sun regulaone at k up r interval dug turf I the . in s of the spaces between the stones, and found, about two feet below the surface, a rude cist of rough undressed slabs of mica schist, con- tainin gquantita f blacyo k moulda complet d an , e skuld skeletonan l , contractee lyinth n gi d posture, characteristi buriale e Stonth th f f co eo s Bronzd an e skullAgese Th ,adultn . a tha f o t, though very friables wa , well preserved remarkabld ha d an , y whit perfecd an e t stils teethi t lI . in existence, but the other-bones speedily mouldered away. Since then e ridg mosth bees f eha o t n excavated n ordei , obtaio t r n san buildr dfo - g purposese gravein th d thei d an s ran , contents destroyed fewA . , however, still remain unopened t thee destinebu ; ar y d soon, with the extensio e santh df e destroye no b pit o t , d also. This ancient British grave-yar especialls di y interesting l likelihooal n i s e cup-markinga ,d th s stonee neighbourhooe onth th n si d wer ee occupant madth y eb f thesso e cists. Ther e severaar e r offl fa well ,t thano s t were dedicatet S o t d Adamnan, the biographer of St Columba, who seems to have visited this part of Perthshire, and under the name of St Eonan, to have left a very fragrant memory behind him; while the old church of Grantully, whic s nigi h h three hundred year s Grantull sa e sam olde th ag f e,o y Castle, supposed to be the Tully-veolan of Sir Walter Scott, is an extremely interesting building in its deserted and half-ruinous condition, wit e gravedeae hth th df o saroun d withian d . rooe nit Parn th i ff o t the interior is intact, arched over with mouldering boards of wood, on fadedd whican , m oncn colourhi di ew e rudel gaudyno ar s t y bu ,repre - sented the Scripture scenes of the creation and judgment, with angels and cherubim figuring largely I remembe. r well, whe boyna fathey ,m r taking me to this church, and how the study of these wonderful and mysterious paintings used to beguile the tedium of many a long sermon. 2 12 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JASUAK , 1884Y14 .

have W e thus preserve thin di s localit ymosa t interestin instructivd gan e serie f antiquitiesso , fro e pagamth n cup-mark e angelith o st c frescoef o s the Christian Church. About four miles west from Aberfeldy, and a mile and a half from Kenmore, at a place called Croftmoraig, there is probably the largest d mosan t complete ston ee mainlanth circl n o e f Scotlando d e Th . massive stones of the circle have no marks upon them; but on a long flat stone, differin n minerai g l structure fro e othersmth , lying half- buriee sod th e shar th n ,di littlpy s m witeye e f wa m o hs boy o wh , during my recent visit, discovered twenty-three small and shallow but well-formed cups. The position of this different cup-marked stone is a little outsidenclosuree th f eo , lik e "foreig th tha f o t n e stone,th n o " north-eastern side near the first great trilithon of Stonehenge, which has two cup-marks 011 it. On the opposite side of the Tay is the Appin or Abthaner f Dullyo , which Crina e warrioth n r abbo f Dunkelo t d once, e mansth held e ancienn eI th e wes gleb.th f o to tt e villag Dullf eo , wit s hoarhit y crosse memoried an s f Adamnanso , thera ston s i e e with several good cup-mark itn o ;s and belo e higwth h roa o thit d s place, there are one or two smaller stones with a few cups on them. 'Within westwarde sighe Lyonth th o t d , an thre ,y neajunctioe Ta th re th f no round apparently artificial mounds, covered with trees, rise conspicuously on the plain, and form a quadrant of a circle. They are called Moot- hills ; and their presence in the neighbourhood of these cup-marked stones, whic htime muson e t hava t e bee morr nfa e numerous, showe th s connection that formerly existed between them; the religious sanctuary being n primitivi , e society e assembly-placth , e peopleth courf e o eth , t of e burying-placjusticeth d an e dead, th f .o e Open-air courtd an s assemblies of the people were held in our own and other countries at stones, or great circles of stones. We read of this custom among all the nation f antiquity o sBible s frequentli th t i en I . y e noticedth t a s a , election of Abimelech to be -king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem; and the sacrifice of Adonijah when he summoned the people to meet him at the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel. The con- nectioe moo th r open-ai o f to n r court with cup-stone s showi sa n i n striking manner by a survival of the old custom which still exists at CUP-MARKED STONES NEAB3 12 ABEKFELDY.

Stone in Somersetshire. The court of the hundred is held very early in the morning at a standing stone on a hill in the neighbourhood. In this ston hollowa s ei , into which, whe e cournth openeds i t bottla , f eo port win d religiou s pouredeol i e a relith e sf , h co whiclibation y ma h s offered probably to the rising sun on the spot. r HaggarM - f Killio t n found this summe t Keltna r y Burn s nativhi , e place, about two miles west from Dull, an interesting cup-marked stone, about 2 feet square, projecting above the ground, into which it appears welo to g twelv s l ha down t eI , verit .cup yn s o distinct althougt no h large. The place in which it was found is known in the neighbourhood as "The Island," recently formed by leading the waters of the burn through a field to a farina mill. Several stone coffins, within the last thirty years, were found while trenchin e o differengrounth gtw n i d t interestinn a s i t i placesd g associatioAn . n thaFortingae th t l ministers used to hold their open-air services for the east end of their parish on this spot. The local association of the cup-marks with the stone coffins undoubteds i d possiblan ; e selectio yth spoa e suitabl s th a t f no e place for open-air meeting Presbyteriae th y sb a con t n- bu minister e b y ma , tinuance of the traditional sanctity of the place. On the hill to the east of the wooded craig of Dull, there is a much finer specimen with larger d moran e numerou e samsth cupsen O hillmileo . tw , s further east, above Weem Rock, there is still another cup-marked stone lying beside the path, which looks not like a boulder, but a fragment of rock recently brokehumay b f of nn hands f ther I sculpturea . s i e d rocn ki e vicinitth f whico y h this formeha s a partd s discoverit , y wild ad l another to the number of the interesting and comparatively rare monuments, for which such commanding positions were always chosen. Ther cup-markea s i e d moorlane uplane stonth th ease n f th eo o td o t d hamle Glassief o t ; anothe thira r d t Cloichfoldichbeloda an , wit , about three miles east from Aberfeldy, which is particularly good, and from which the place in all probability got its name. The number of the stones on this side of the river, however, is not so great, nor are the stones themselves so remarkable, as those found on the south side of the Tay. I mus t forgeno t notico t t e here another very remarkable cup-stone which I went to see last September (fig. 8). It was found two summers 124 . PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 14, 1884.

r M'Nab e farM th f mag o n t Bleato o a , n Hallet, about 4J miles from Kirkmichael, by a cross road in the Persie district. Below the farm- house there is an undulating field, with a gently swelling mound in it. On this moun nea o stone surface s dth th ry ela e thaplouge th t h always grated on it. The farmer, therefore, was induced to remove it as an obstruction. With great labou succeedee h r raisinexposinn d i an , git g the underside, on which curious markings were noticed. Regardless of materias a e s about i th these r wa e brea o t piecesfo n lte i us h ,t kd i an , bridgw buildinne ea f acroso g e riverth s , when some feeling unac- countable eve himselo nt f dissuade fro m s purposemhi dhi carriee H . d

Fig . Cup-Ston8 . t Bleatoea n Hallet, Persie, Blairgowrie. againsp u e t b i t walla tt w instea i se yards no d ,hi y wheran o ,dt ma t ei instilled farmee seenha Th s .ha d r int mins ohi d some glimmering idea of its value and significance, and takes great pleasure in showing it to visitors. There is no danger, therefore, of its being injured or destroyed so hold e lonh s gsa possessio e farm th I firsf .no t e stonhearth f edo from Dr Eattray of Blairgowrie. What specially characterises it, is variete sculpturee th th f yo . Beside ordinare th s y plain cups, there ear leso n s than four with rings ;instance theron s i ewhichn i e cupo .tw s are unite connectina y db g groove; anothergroova s ha ewhicn p i , cu ha of unusual length, traversing almost e whol,th e breadt e stoneth d f han o , CUP-MAKKED STONES NEAR5 12 ABERFELDY.

instea f linkino d t i witg h another cup, gradually shallowine th o t g surface, and at length disappearing indefinitely. But the most curious feature is the almost square figure, occupying nearly one half of the stone, forme a lon y gb d groove connecting several cups togetherd an , enclosing two others linked to each other in a similar manner. This groov s wonderfulli e y distinct throughou s wholit t e course; while eth large ring roun principae dth whicp cu lgroove hth e comprehends, instead of being incised as usual, forms a raised ridge on the stone. This peculiar arrangemen f t cupm beegrooveo d ta no I an s n s s a noticedha sr fa o s , othey awarean rn o ,stone . Ther s everi e y reaso believo t n e thae th t stone, whic rouga s i h h sla f coarsbo e reddish-brown micaceous schist, formea cavit n e covei a cist th y dr f o fo underneatr; t i therhs wa e found some black mould, but there was no urn or bones. The locality has numerous traces of prehistoric man. Several tall stones, called locally Clachan Sleuchdaidh r stoneo , f so worship, are in the immediate neighbourhood, with hundreds of cairns and rude cup-mark simpla f so e characte e rockmann o rth f yo ridges crown- ing the rising points among the heather; while for miles along the high road, especiall uppee th seee n yrb o nsidey ever ma yard, w yfe s hollowf so various moorlandy dr n ever o e sized th y an n mound,i s , indicatine gth sites of primitive dwellings largA . e population must have residen i d e far-ofth f age n thii s s whole glenTh e. regio s stilha nl large spaces of uncultivated land left very much in its original state, covered with rough boulders and brown heather, and will doubtless yield rich results to the zealous antiquarian student who will explore it thoroughly. I may mention that on the hill to the north-east of Kirkmichael, not far from the village, there is a very curious rock. It is a portion of a limestone vein, protruding here above the soil, and sloping to the south- west. It is covered with very deep grooves, arranged on either side in almost symmetrical order, like a herring-bone pattern. These grooves roundisn i d en h closed cavitie r slopo se edge freelf th eof o .t y There scarceln ca douba e yb t that these extraordinary grooves were mady eb e actioth f watero n n i wha, r o thougt mannew ho h t i woulr e b d extremely difficult to say, for I have never seen anything at all like it elsewhere I 'hav d ean , seen very remarkable specimen erodine th f o sg 6 12 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 1884Yi4 .

power of water. I refer to the phenomenon, which might otherwise concern the geologist alone, because it seems to me that the primitive inhabitants of the strath took advantage of these grooves and cavities made thus by nature to their hand, and employed them in the same way as they used the cup-marks which they themselves had carved. I ground this suppositio e facth t n thao ne groove th t d cavitiean s e ar s always ,e dries eveth n ni t weather, mor lesr eo s ful waterf o l , presenting glistenina g appearanc e distancth s shinini n i en e su wheg e upoth n n them; and that the people of the locality are still in. the habit every yeaf May o f goin o ry e firs wastheo ,o th t gda t t n mho their faces with e containeth d liquid, to-which they impute special propertie f healinso g d blessing—an a custom whic probabls i h a ysurviva a paga f o l n one. When making inquiries for cup-marked stones from the people in the neighbourhood s directewa y severaI ,b d l person o thit s s rockd an , tol s curioudit s history. I have thus described the most prominent of the cup-marked stones that up to this date have been discovered in tins district. It is highly probable that mor e e numbefoundeb th wilt s a f ye observer,o l r s increases, and public attention is directed to the subject. Large as is e numbe th a smal known beaw n t ca lno bu rr porportiot i , e th o t n number that must have been destroyed withi e life-time th n th f o e present generation. Waste lands in the neighbourhood have been extensively brought into cultivation withi e lasth nt forty yearsd an ; many fields whic I hremembe early m yn i dayr o havt s e see wils na d pasture, or brown moorland, covered with boulders, are now rich fields of com or clover. These agricultural improvements have undoubtedly involve e destructioth d d stonol e f man o nth monuments f yo , which were condemned indiscriminately along with their associated boulders, as cumberers of the ground, and their fragments worked up into dykes and farm buildings. The superstitious feeling that once guarded the stones of worshi r ancestorou f p o s passe sha d awa thin yi s utilitarian age, which prefers the cultivation of turnips to that of sentiment; and even where t i still exists t doei ,t see no sapplo m t o cup-markeyt d l stonesal r fo , traditions connected with their purpose have long ago vanished from the recollection of . the people, and no definite ideas are now associated with CUP-MARKED STONES NEAR ABERFELDY. 127

them presumptioa ; n among many other f theiso r remote antiquityn I . not a few cases we find the fatal blasting hole bored among the cups in a destroyee hane th stone th f t do s beebu , rha n staye somy db e mysterious feeling thaunknowe th t n marks were uncanny, mighd an t bod gooo en d meddleo wh e don wity an ho t them. "Would that this panic, whicn i h such a case is a very appropriate feeling, could seize all such agricultural Vandals e preservatio th d lea o an ,t d f monumento n s whic e cannohw t put into a museum for safety, but which on that account ought to be watched over with even more zealous carea valuabl s a , e legacs u o yt fro mduma almosd ban t forgotten past, boune whicar e transmio dt hw t uninjure futuree s instructioit th r o dt fo r ours, fo s .na Numberless conjecture se minaristh dn ei regarding these mysterious cup-markings; but I shall only hazard the general remark, in conclusion, regarding the cup-markings in the Aberfeldy district, that they appear to me to indicate a higher stage of culture than those found in. many other places in Scotland. When compared with those in the Killin district, for instance, they show a manifest superiority of execution. I t knono wo a singld e exampl concentria f eo e c th rin n go rounp cu a d stone n Glendocharsi e shore founth r o f n Loco sy o d Ta hr Gle o t n Lochay, and examples of connecting grooves are extremely rare; whereas in the Aberfeldy district there is hardly a stone found that does not exhibit both these characteristics cupe Th s .farthe r nort wesd e han ar t also comparatively smal d shallowan l o thas , t the e oftear y n almost obliterate exposury b dweathere th o t e ; the exceedingle yar y rude too, as a rule, as if those who executed them had inferior tools, or lacked skill or leisure; and they are carved almost exclusively on slabs and boulder f sofso t micaceous schist which coul mose db t easily impressed. The reverse is the case with those of the Aberfeldy district. The majority of cup-marks are carved on hard crystalline diorite, the hardest and most enduring stone that could be found; they are made deep and large and distinct, with sharp clear edges, against which no weathering seem e sculptoro prevailth t s f i d goo s ha a s, d toolse us ,o t kne w who them, and had plenty of leisure to carry out their purpose properly. wha thuAnd we t s actually find thais , t whic shoulwe h d antecedently have expected. Strathtay a ric, h region, with fertile d geniasoian l l 8 12 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 188414 Y .

climatea magnificen d an , t rive rs amelioratin it wit l al h g influences flowing through it, must in these early days have afforded more com- fortable conditions of human existence than the subalpine regions farther to the west and north, with their colder climate and their less productiv ee strugglsoil Th case .r existencon efo e e woulth e n b i de far less severe than in the other, allowing more leisure for the cultiva- tion of the arts of life.