Abstract art in the Western world is generally considered to have its origins in the 19th century, becoming fully fledged in the early 20th century and celebrated widely today through the work of contemporary artists like Kenneth Dingwall.

This talk, by Dr Tertia Barnett, School of History, Classics and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, explores a far older tradition of abstract mark-making, rooted in Scottish prehistory. It takes us back 5,000 years to a time when early farming communities across Scotland carved abstract geometric motifs into natural rock surfaces in the landscape. Thousands of these carvings survive today and they form a unique part of our heritage, but why were they made and what purpose did they serve?

The talk will discuss how our interpretations of Scotland’s rock art have evolved in line with changing archaeological perspectives and techniques.