The enigmatic and versatile cupmark - cupmark sites as boundary and property markers in Iron Age Rogaland

Abstract

This article focuses on the various uses of cupmarks in Iron Age Rogaland. While in the Bronze Age cupmarks are associated with communal activity and were used in connection with rituals, Iron Age usage shifts towards the family and clan. They are cut into exposed bedrock, boulders and loose stones. Within the farm's infield, they can appear in the house itself, at the edge of fields, in fence systems and in cairns. In these contexts, the cupmarks can be interpreted as The Evil Eye, protecting the farm and acting as a deterrent to intruders. In some cases, their strength is reinforced with several parallel rows of marks. There are also simple rows that may indicate property boundaries between different farms and common areas. These are often found on the border between infield and outfield. Cupmarks at coastal sites may have warned outsiders against trespassing on private land.