Pagan symbolism: cup marks

Cup marks, also known as cup marks or napped stones, are a common form of Neolithic art. These markings are widespread across Europe and other parts of the world. Although the exact meaning and function of cup marks are still a subject of debate, it is generally believed that they had a symbolic or ritual significance for the communities that created them, but they could also have a practical function.

This blog delves into the distribution, characteristics, archaeological interpretation, and possible function of cup marks, with a special focus on the changes that occurred in the transition from the Neolithic to the Copper Age and early bronze Age.

Cup marks are found in various geographical areas, especially along the Atlantic coast of Europe, such as in Ireland, Wales, Northern England, Scotland, Brittany in France, and parts of Spain and Portugal. However, they are not limited to Western Europe; similar patterns have also been discovered in the Mediterranean region, including Italy, Greece, and Sardinia, as well as in Northern Europe, such as Scandinavia and Switzerland.

Outside Europe, cup marks have been found in various parts of the world, including Australia, Gabon, Hawaii, India, Israell, Mexico, and Mozambique. The oldest documented examples of cup marks are found in the Fertile Crescent and India, suggesting that these symbols may have deep historical roots.

Cup marks typically consist of small, round depressions in rock surfaces, often surrounded by concentric circles, and sometimes with a linear groove extending outward from the center.

These markings are found on various substrates, including natural rock formations, worked stones, and megalithic monuments such as stone circles, burial mounds, and passage graves.

The exact function of cup marks remains unclear, and their meaning is still debated. The consistency in style and distribution suggests that they may have served a ritual or symbolic role, but a practical application, such as marking important locations, is also suggested. Some theories, such as those of Alexander Thom, propose that cup marks were an early form of 'writing' or coding, intended to record information about a stone. Thom also introduced the concept of the 'Megalithic Inch', a standard measure he claimed to recognize in the distances between the markings. Although this theory was not widely accepted, later studies indicate some consistency in the sizes of the marks, suggesting that elementary measuring methods were used and possibly a shared cultural tradition existed.

Other interpretations emphasize the ritual and symbolic function of cup marks, suggesting they were related to the cosmological beliefs of the communities that made them. The use of cup marks in combination with stone circles aligned with solstices supports this hypothesis. At the same time, it is assumed that some cup marks had practical applications, such as placing grinding stones or serving as locations for offerings.

The dating of cup marks is problematic because the markings can often be added later to existing monuments. The oldest examples are placed in the early Neolithic, while other markings were reused in later periods, such as the Bronze Age. It appears that the tradition of making cup marks originated along the Atlantic coasts and later spread to other regions’s.

Cup marks show clear similarities with late Neolithic art, such as the spirals and zigzag lines often found on megalithic monuments. However, there are also significant differences. Passage grave art encompasses a broader range of motifs and often seems connected to symbols emerging from human imagination, while cup marks reflect more natural patterns.

In addition, cup marks may be older than passage grave art. Their distribution and meaning point to a more indigenous development, while passage grave art was likely introduced from other regions’s, such as Brittany in France.

Between 3000 and 2500 BC, Proto-Indo-European herders migrated to Europe. This new population, with its dharmic religion and hierarchical structures, may have adopted and adapted existing Neolithic art forms to their own cultural context to emphasize their authority over the new territory.

An example of reuse is the cup-marked stone from the Nether Largie North Cairn near Kilmartin in Scotland. It was decorated in the Neolithic and reused in the bronze Age as a cover stone for a burial mound of a Beaker chief.

Cup marks were possibly used in the bronze Age to mark important time points, such as the solstices, or as part of an early calendar. They were sometimes depicted in combination with sun crosses, like on the rock carvings of Tanum in Sweden.

From the bronze Age, point work, point motifs, or bowl motifs have been regularly incorporated into art. This tradition may have been inspired by cup marks, which indirectly influenced art into the early Middle Ages. However, this remains speculative, and the original meaning of cup marks was likely long forgotten. 

The cup marks represent a fascinating aspect of prehistoric art, with a wide geographical distribution and potentially profound symbolic meaning.

The exact function of these markings remains unclear, but their consistency and distribution suggest a shared cultural tradition connected to rituals, cosmology, and possibly even practical functions. They likely had different functions or meanings in various cultures and time periods.

The reuse of these markings by later communities, such as the Proto-Indo-European herders, suggests that cup marks had a lasting influence on the development of megalithic monuments and art into the early Bronze Age. They may even have influenced the art styles of the bronze Age and beyond.