Yorkshire Rock Art
December 2004

"Unique" rock art discovered on Moors 
.......More fascinating rock art from the Fylingdales Moors. 
 

In the week before Christmas (2004) English Heritage released details of  a “unique” carved stone discovered earlier in the year on the Fylingdales Moors near Ravenscar in North Yorkshire. 
The intense moorland fire that spread across this area in September 2003 uncovered a large number of previously unknown Cup-and-Ring marked stones which have now been recorded in detail by Paul Brown and Graeme Chappell and also reported in the English Heritage survey of the fire damaged area.

The high winds and winter weather following the fire displaced much of the burnt material on the moor and lead to the discovery of this unique carved stone. Paul Frodsham and Graham Lee (Northumberland and North York Moors National Parks, resp.) noted the linked triangles along the top edge of the buried stone during a visit to the moor in April 2004. Realising the importance of the markings, it was decided that excavation and recording were urgently required, however during the intervening period a member of the public also noted the markings and partially uncovered the carved face of the stone to reveal the amazing design.

Excavation around the stone uncovered the full extent of the carved surface and also located several more marked stones buried nearby. Archaeoptics Ltd laser scanned the carved stone in situ, producing a high resolution record of the carving, with the stored data making it possible to create a replica of the stone if required.

The unique nature of the carvings has drawn comparisons with Passage Grave art and a small number of carved stones found elsewhere in the British Isles. Elements of the carving are also reminiscent of the decoration found on Bronze Age Beaker pottery  and the markings on the Folkton “Drums”  found 15miles to the south.

The English Heritage press release suggested that if the stone were turned on its edge then the patterns might represent a house, fields, mountain peaks and possibly a flying bird etc. 
This rather simplistic interpretation is likely to be a gross underestimation of the significance of the stone, as even a cursory glance at very similar compositions in other ancient cultures shows that these types of design often incorporate many levels of symbolism and have a deep spiritual significance to the people who created them.
The exceptional nature of this carved stone may in fact be the result of communication with other regions, made possible by the sites coastal location and proximity to the sheltered natural harbour of Robinhoods Bay.

Due to the delicate nature of the carved rock and the ongoing conservation work in the area, the  exact location of the stone has not been released.