Archaic Sculpturings. 127 



posed a set of concentric zones, into many of which tit the 

 main or essential parts of the sculptured work, so accurately 

 and frequently as to point to some factor being at work 

 which is not chance, accident, or coincidence. Here, then, 

 is the key which will be found to unlock the chamber in which 

 have lain hidden for more than two millennia (during- the 

 whole of the present era apparently) the secrets of a large 

 number of our early Scottish, Irish, and English, and indeed 

 European, carvings on rocks. 



Having obtained access to the chamber, it will be found, 

 however, that we are by no means at the end of our search, 

 as within the chamber are many locked cupboards with their 

 puzzles waiting to be unravelled. 



There are figured (Nos. i to 6) a few carefully 

 measured draw-ings of local cup and ring markings. I have 

 inserted dotted and other lines to demonstrate the system 

 which underlies the carvings. Many interesting lines. Includ- 

 ing the elliptical ones, are omitted to preserve the simplicity 

 and clearness of the drawings. They are selected from a col- 

 lection of many similarly analysed sketches of sculpturings 

 in other parts of Scotland and in England, Ireland, and the 

 Continent. All bring out very clearly that there are two up 

 to ten main focal points situated well outside the field of the 

 sculpturings. The cups, rings, ducts, trailing gutters, and 

 other carved work fall most beautifully and with astounding 

 precision into a number of radial spaces and concentric zones. 

 But the dotted lines amply explain themselves, and it would 

 be tedious, and indeed impossible here, to attempt a full 

 exposition. There are two main centres which control the 

 position of the various sectors and their contained radial and 

 concentric zones. 



The precise north and south line often runs through one 

 centre, while through the other centre runs another north 

 and south line diverging from the first by two to four degrees. 

 There are thus two chief systems of lines fitting into the 

 salient parts of the sculpturing. One system narrowly 

 misses coinciding with the other. One is related apparently 

 to the actual pole, and the other to the pole-star of that 

 period, from which useful deductions may be made as to the 



