Campaigners have expressed disappointment at the official response to pleas to save a site sacred to the travelling community.
The Tinker’s Heart, near the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll, has served as “the marriage place” for centuries.
It consists of a heart-shaped design of quartz stones embedded in a field overlooking Loch Fyne.
Earlier this autumn traveller, author and storyteller Jess Smith petitioned the Scottish Parliament to call on Historic Scotland to schedule the site as a protected area.
But Historic Scotland has insisted the heart does not meet the criteria for legal protection, claiming it was told that most members of the travelling community had never heard of it before the petition became public.
Argyll and Bute MSP Mike Russell told Holyrood’s petitions committee he and Ms Smith were disappointed.
“Historic Scotland has not grasped the importance of this issue,” he said.
“If their procedures are such they cannot properly recognised the only such site associated with the travelling people across Scotland, then their procedures frankly need to change.
“The site is not properly preserved. I drove past this morning and it has a metal container around it and nothing else.
“It needs proper signage, it needs proper parking, it needs drawing attention to.”
The committee decided to invite someone from Historic Scotland and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop to a future meeting.