5,000 yr old rock carvings discovered in the UK

London, August 1 : More than 100 ancient rock carvings on boulders and open bedrock have been discovered throughout Northumberland and Durham in the UK, which date back to 5,000 years.

According to a report by BBC News, among the discovered Neolithic carvings of circles, rings and hollowed cups, one of the most interesting finds was an elaborately carved panel on Barningham Moor, near Barnard Castle in County Durham.

"We know virtually nothing about this art. That's the exciting part of this discovery," said Kate Wilson, inspector of ancient monuments at English Heritage. "What we need to do now is to discover how this art relates to other prehistoric features in the landscape," she added.

"We are talking about very simple and abstract art, using circles, lines and triangles. Mostly the designs are pecked into stone in the shape of simple cups and rings," she said.

Archaeologists have discovered thousands of examples of prehistoric rock carvings in the area in recent years.

Many feature on a website backed by Newcastle University, which includes about 6,000 images.

"We are sure there remains a lot that is still undiscovered in Cumbria," said Wilson.

ANI