Cup and Ring marks, Kilmartin Glen

Kilmartin Glen in Argyll, Scotland, contains a remarkable concentration of prehistoric cup and ring marks created during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age (c. 3000-1200 BC). Sites at Achnabreck, Cairnbaan, Ballygowan, and Baluachraig feature carvings ranging from simple cup marks to elaborate designs with up to 12 concentric rings exceeding one metre in width. No other place in Scotland has such a concentration of prehistoric carved stone surfaces. Excavations at Torbhlaren recovered hammerstones and thousands of broken quartz pieces, suggesting ritual significance since quartz produces an eerie glow when struck in darkness.