The discovery of the 5,000 year-old-stone, carved with a unique geometric pattern, drew international interest.

The stone was set into a ring of low boulders within a larger cairn monument and included a second stone carved with cup marks and linear grooves. It appears the stone may have been broken from a larger block of fine-grained sandstone.

The markings on the second stone are similar in design to other rock art found on Fylingdales Moor and as far afield as Ilkley Moor and the Cheviots. At some point in time, after the setting up of the carved stones, the whole monument was covered in stones to form a cairn.

Following the fire, its interpretation and conservation became one of the focal points for a project to re-seed the scorched earth and reinstate a protective blanket over the site. Now new details about the find have been revealed as part of an interpretative project called Fire Over Fylingdales which includes an exhibition at Whitby Museum.

As part of the conservation work, both carved stones were laser scanned to allow copies to be made and left in situ. Replicas created from these scans will form part of the new exhibition.

Neil Redfern, English Heritage North Yorkshire Team Leader, said: "There's been a vast amount of speculation on the significance of the carvings and the meaning behind the monument. The more decorated stone is similar to Neolithic passage grave art found in Ireland and Anglesey, perhaps suggesting a funerary purpose. But no-one really knows. The new exhibition is a chance for people to share in the discovery and also celebrate the moor's remarkable revival.”

The exhibition is organised by Whitby Museum, landowner Sir Frederic Strickland-Constable, North York Moors National Park Authority, Manor of Fyling Court Leet and Blaise Vyner Consultancy, with support from English Heritage.

It is accompanied by a 40-page guidebook and includes the history of more recent uses of the moor for Second World War manoeuvres, 19th century grouse shoots and alum working.

Exhibition co-ordinator Graham Pickles said: "The exhibition is part of a wider project to tell the gripping story of the fire and the damage to the ecology, along with how the archaeology has been protected and the moor regenerated.”

Running alongside the exhibition are public lectures and an oral history and arts project, which will see a local sculptor create carvings inspired by rock art. A two mile self-guided trail will also shortly be unveiled on Fylingdales Moor with directions in a leaflet available from Whitby Museum, Whitby Abbey, the Flask Inn and other local outlets.

The exhibition opens daily except Mondays, 9.30am to 4pm.