NEO/B.A. · CUP-MARKED STONE

Cup-marked stone

Lisburn, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 7488
Period
NEO/B.A.
Site type
CUP-MARKED STONE
Nation
Northern Ireland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

Cup-marked stone is a Neolithic or Bronze Age rock art monument located in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The stone is distinguished by a series of cup marks—small circular depressions pecked into its surface—a form of rock art common throughout the British Isles and northern Europe during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. Such cup-marked stones remain among the most enigmatic monuments of prehistoric Britain, with their precise ritual, territorial, or symbolic function still subject to scholarly debate. This example contributes to the archaeological record of prehistoric art and settlement patterns in the Ulster region.

Cup-marked stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 7488. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Cup-marked stone?

Cup-marked stone is a Neolithic or Bronze Age rock art monument located in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 7488.

What period does Cup-marked stone date from?

Cup-marked stone dates from the neo/b.a. period, and is classified as a cup-marked stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Cup-marked stone?

Cup-marked stone is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 7488.

What other scheduled monuments are near Cup-marked stone?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Souterrain (6.7 km), Neolithic house (7 km), Graveyard with cross-inscribed pillar stone (7.3 km).

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