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Afon Arthog cup-marked rock is a prehistoric stone marked with a series of shallow cupules, located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a monument of national importance under reference ME235. The rock sits upon Silurian felsic igneous bedrock, part of an unnamed intrusion of acidic volcanic origin that formed during the Ordovician to Silurian period. This geological foundation is typical of upland Welsh terrain shaped by ancient volcanism.
Cup-marked rocks of this type are widespread across Britain and Ireland, with origins most likely in the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, though their precise function remains debated amongst archaeologists. The marks were created by repeated striking or pecking with stone tools, forming distinctive hemispherical depressions across the rock surface. Such stones have been variously interpreted as territorial markers, ritual sites, or astronomical observatories, though local use and spiritual significance to their makers seems most probable.
The Afon Arthog example contributes to a broader pattern of cup-marked rocks distributed across the Welsh uplands, reflecting prehistoric activity and land use in this region. The monument's survival and protection ensure that this tangible link to early Welsh prehistory remains available for study and public access.
Afon Arthog cup-marked rock is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME235. View the official record →
Afon Arthog cup-marked rock is a prehistoric stone marked with a series of shallow cupules, located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a monument of national importance under reference ME235.
Afon Arthog cup-marked rock dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cup marked stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Afon Arthog cup-marked rock is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is ME235.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castell y Bere (4.7 km), Hut Circle Settlement at Craig Ty'n-y-Cornel (5.3 km), Twll y Darren Round Barrow (5.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Afon Arthog cup-marked rock's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Afon Arthog cup-marked rock stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.