Horseshoe Rock
Am I at the right place?
You should now be at the Horseshoe Rock, just off the path. Take a moment to enjoy the view, then turn to face up the slope with the carved rock in front of you.
Lordenshaw
You should now be at the Horseshoe Rock, just off the path. Take a moment to enjoy the view, then turn to face up the slope with the carved rock in front of you.
What a fantastic view—that must be Rothbury down in the valley?
That’s right. On a clear day you can see across to the Cheviot Hills. Rock art is often found at places like this, higher ground that overlooks fertile valleys. The people who made the cups and rings probably lived in the same places people do today, down there near the river.
So why did they come up here?
Well one idea is that they were hunting wild animals like deer or herding domesticated animals like cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, maybe moving them around during the year.
Were the cups and rings part of that?
Maybe. Some archaeologists think that the rock art panels might mark clearings in the woodland.
Ah, so would this have been covered with trees?
Possibly.
Could they be boundary markers between different groups of people?
That’s a possibility. We believe people started making the carvings when they took up farming and so the carvings might indicate different settlements.
When I first saw them I thought they were decorative, but now I’m not so sure. If they are all found in similar places, maybe they did have a special role connected to the landscape.
Based on your own observations and what you have heard/read, do you think the carved stones were:
Please treat the rock with care.
