About Rock Art

Rock art is found in many parts of the world, and is one of the earliest expressions of human creativity. In this section you can read more about What is Rock Art and explore the rock art of certain areas in more detail:

The rock art symbols found in Britain (known as cup-and-ring markings) also occur in other European countries, as well as many other types of carvings and paintings. You can see some of these in Rock Carvings of Europe or widen your geographic scope by looking at World’s Rock Art

If you are wondering when the first examples of rock art were discovered in the British Isles, and if you’re curious about what people used to think about these enigmatic markings, then check out our History of Discovery and Research.

Earliest Animal Carvings in Scotland

The sensational discovery of prehistoric deer carvings hit the headlines in May 2021. Why was this such an important find?

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What is Rock Art?

The term rock art refers to human-made marks or images that are deliberately carved, painted, or sculpted on natural rock surfaces.

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Rock Art of Scotland

About a third of all prehistoric rock art known in Britain is found in Scotland. Most of the carvings are on rocks in the open landscape, but some were also used in monuments or re-used in later structures.

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Rock Art of Britain and Ireland

Britain and Ireland share a similar tradition of prehistoric carving. In the British Isles, carvings of cup-and-rings, cup-marks, and similar images were engraved on boulders and outcrops in many parts of the landscape.

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Rock Carvings of Europe

Rock art is widespread in Europe and very varied, ranging from the Paleolithic Caves of Spain and France, to the Italian Alps, Southern Spain, and of course the Atlantic Art common to many countries in western Europe.

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World Rock Art

Rock art is a global phenomenon. Paintings and carvings have been created for thousands of years on walls, shelters, and rock surfaces in the open air in many parts of the world. Have a glimpse of some wonderful and mysterious rock art in this section.

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History of Discovery and Research

The oldest written reference to rock art in the British Isles dates back to the 19th century. Interest in Britain’s rock art has grown over the decades and it is now a well-established academic subject.

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Dating Rock Art

Dating rock art is very challenging. For a long time, it was thought that Scotland’s prehistoric carvings were about 4000 years old, but recent research shows that they were probably made at least 5000 years ago in the Neolithic period.

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