On Sunday, John and myself took a trip to the most ancient of Northumberland's landscapes, to visit a site of cup and ring marked stones. There are countless opinions as to the meaning of the carvings and symbols and we will never know for sure why they were produced. 3,000 years ago, primitive man must have had a plan for them. What I find amazing is that similar carvings are found in other countries too, in a time of no communication I would have thought even a few miles away things would have evolved differently.
Northumberland contains the largest number of recorded cup and ring marked sites in Britain. These ancient markings are found on exposed rock faces in the northern hills and usually involve cup shaped depressions surrounded by concentric circles that are often joined by grooves.
Up here in this quiet, now bleak, landscape you wonder how people lived then and how people will live in 3,000 years time....
Our (public) path took us right past a newly refurbished Raven's nest where the adult let us know we werent welcome with variety of cronks, chuckles and capercaillie like 'pops'. We left them at peace in obvious view so they wouldnt be afraid we were lurking nearby.
Some rocks were covered in lichens including the Golden Shield Lichen Xanthoria parietina and the one below that I am struggling to i.d ( any help appreciated). [Dog Lichen Peltigera canina. Thanks anon.]
Near home, a flock of 80+ Bramblings was a nice find at the entrance to Howick Quarry where they fed in a game crop. The group also had single numbers of Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.
7 comments:
Wonderful post Stewart. I have read about the cup and ringed marked stones - fascinating :). Sorry can't help with the lichen - I struggle with them!
The lichen is Peltigera canina
great finch flock!
Hmmmm.....so thats where all the Brambling are!
Caroline - Thanks, yes the marked stones are fantastic, they have a right 'atmos' when you are there...
Anon - Thank you, pity you didnt give your name, I'm sure I would ask more questions!
John - You would have had a field day with your camera...
Warren - There are 180 in a flock near Berwick too...
Excellent post Stewart
As a child accents where varied even within just a few miles, so how they communicated all those years ago is amazing. I particularly like the site above Old Bewick that also has the Pill Boxes sited looking across the valley ,well worth a visit !!!!
Brian
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