Cup-marked Stone in Seaham Church, query

Howdo folks!

Hope some of you more 'northern' rock-art freaks might be able to tell us a bit more about this one.

I was going thru some of mi old journals t'other week & found a reference in an old Antiquity journal (1924) to what's described as a church altar slab with "a number of cup-markings of two sizes, which have been taken to imply a prehistoric origin." The altar-stone is in St. Mary's church, Seaham, nr Sunderland. A quick scan thru Mr Beckensall's stuff didn't show the site & I couldn't locate it on BRAC. Izzit a forgotten carving? Or izzit nothing of the sort? Anyone know more?

Here's hoping - Paul

Admin wrote:Howdo folks!

Hope some of you more 'northern' rock-art freaks might be able to tell us a bit more about this one.

I was going thru some of mi old journals t'other week & found a reference in an old Antiquity journal (1924) to what's described as a church altar slab with "a number of cup-markings of two sizes, which have been taken to imply a prehistoric origin." The altar-stone is in St. Mary's church, Seaham, nr Sunderland. A quick scan thru Mr Beckensall's stuff didn't show the site & I couldn't locate it on BRAC. Izzit a forgotten carving? Or izzit nothing of the sort? Anyone know more?

Here's hoping - Paul

Mr B, not much help, but it's not recorded in Tyne & Wear's HER/SMR record. Thats not to say it ain't there though, cos a single cup marked rock found at Arbeia Fort(South Shields) appears to be missing from the list too.

Ey up Rich!

Rockrich wrote:Mr B, not much help, but it's not recorded in Tyne & Wear's HER/SMR record. Thats not to say it ain't there though, cos a single cup marked rock found at Arbeia Fort(South Shields) appears to be missing from the list too.

Just a quickie before I go.

Looks like we've got an old drawing of the stone. I'll try and post it up when I get back later. It'd be good if some of them there Geordie lads could meander down to t' church of St. Mary's in Seaham & see if the old archaeo's were right about it. The image of it looks a bit odd.

Cheers - Paul

It'd not be in the T&W inventory Rich, Seaham's in county Durham.

It's not that far from me, if I'm ever in the area, I'll have a look. There were cists found south of Sunderland in the early 19thC, so you never know, there may have been cup marked things in the area.

Howdo Hob!

Hob wrote:It'd not be in the T&W inventory Rich, Seaham's in county Durham.

It's not that far from me, if I'm ever in the area, I'll have a look. There were cists found south of Sunderland in the early 19thC, so you never know, there may have been cup marked things in the area.

Mikki found this page and article a short while back, which tells more and gives the old drawing - which looks unusual to say the least:

http://www.east-durham.co.uk/seaham/aird.htm

We aint been able to find any photos or updates regarding age & authenticity though.

Cheers - Paul

oopps, cheers Hob - saw nr Sunderland and went for T&W...just proves how ignorant of the area I really am Another bugger missed for NADRAP!!

Hhhhmmm..the thing looks interesting, if a little suspect.

rich wrote:Hhhhmmm..the thing looks interesting, if a little suspect.

That's what I thought when I first saw it. Still worth checking out though. Y' never know, the archaeologist who first described it might have been right!

Cheers for the link Paul. I agree with the suspicions of suspectitude. It's the limestone that gets me. cups in dressed limestone? That would be unique. But as you say, you never can be sure untill you see it in the real.

One thing that did strike me though, was the apparent similarity with some photos I've seen of cresset like things carved in to the doorways and window bottoms of a cathedral in Santiago de Compostella. 'cos they're in a highly catholicised patch of Galicia that drips with CnRs. So maybe not genuine old RA, but mebbe some rare example of a christianised adaptation of the concept of cup marks. (How's about that for putting a highly wishful positive spin on something?)

I concurr with this and find that in Sleaford I found some similar that were on a raised slab standing upright,. It could have been taken for decoration but is pre Roman. I have also the Archaeology of Aruba and again in the caves there is dot like Indian markers for followers as indicators.

I will try and find out more at the University. Pompei has astral charts so it would seem pre Christian time as in nomadic indegenous Indian races along the Ocean they recorded time by the planets as star gazers due to direction finding for extending day and hunting, plus pillaging. Uruk comes to mind of such cultures who made these signs as community signs for other travellers.