Rock carvings in western Yorkshire

ILKLEY - ROMBALDS MOOR
Since the middle of the last century around 250 rock carvings have been discovered on the moors south of Ilkley - this being by far the largest concentration in Yorkshire. The majority are located along a 6 km stretch of the moors northern edge where the land begins to drop into the Wharfe valley. Among the carvings are at least 2 "unique" designs, one of which is the Swastika stone (shown on right) similar carvings occur in Italy and Sweden and because of the similarity to later Celtic art it is suggested the Swastika stone carving may date to the Iron age.

 

 

 


  Around half the carvings are concentrated in an area called Green Crag Slack which contains a number of earthworks, cairn fields and prehistoric walling, this area also over looks the Wharfe valley in the direction of Almescliffe crags (a point noted at several other sites) which features on the horizon to the north east.

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