Help to safeguard Scotland’s Rock Art
Rock art is a very vulnerable, despite being made of stone. It faces many threats from the weather, from vegetation and animals, and from ourselves (see our Risks to rock art). It is important that we are aware of these threats so that we can try to prevent or reduce them, and preserve our rock art for future generations. In particular, we need to minimize our impact on the rock surface when visiting or recording rock art. To help safeguard our rock art, you might like to read the Rock Art Code for what to do (and not do!) when visiting prehistoric carvings. These guidelines were developed as part of the Northumberland and Durham Rock Art Project, and apply to all British rock art.
Rock Art CARE Project
You can help to care for our rock art by recording its condition using a specially developed mobile app. This app enables anyone in the UK and Ireland to support the safeguarding of open-air rock art. You can provide information electronically about animal and human threats to rock art as well as the condition of panels and motifs.
The app has been developed by the CARE project. You can download it for free from Google Play (Android) or Apple iTunes (iOS), searching on ‘CARE Rock Art’.
Completing the app form is not a lengthy process and should take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. The app is supported by an extensive ‘Help’ menu. App reports done in areas without an internet connection are queued for uploading later. Reports can also be completed using a paper-based form and then entered electronically on the web portal using the ‘Create Report’ tab.
You don’t need to be a rock art specialist to use the app. For more information, visit the CARE Rock Art website.
Protecting Rock Art
A number of rock art panels in Scotland are formally protected by law as Scheduled Monuments. This means that it is a punishable offence to interfere with them in any way, even if you intentions are good. Excavation, turf clearance, or other invasive activities need to apply for Scheduled Monument Consent before proceeding. You can search for Scheduled rock art in Scotland using our Advanced search facility.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) looks after six prehistoric carved rocks in Scotland. These are part of HES’s Properties in Care portfolio and, like all Properties in Care, these rocks are closely managed, and monitored regularly. There are four in Kilmartin (Achnabreck, Cairnbaan, Baluachraig, and Ballygowan) and two in Dumfries and Galloway (Drumtroddan and Big Balcraig). All are publicly accessible.
