Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Rock art
Letter West, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Letter West
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 52.01617, -10.01234
- SMR number
- KE071-003002-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In rough stony pasture, on cutaway bog in the valley of Coomnacronia Lake. The motifs occur on a surface of a roughly triangular earthfast rock (2.8m x 2.4m x 2m). They comprise six single cupmarks (diam. 3-5cm) enclosed by a groove, of which a cluster of three are joined by short grooves. There is another example of rock art (KE071-003001-) c. 14m to the W.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 30 May 2011
Located c. 14m to E of rock art site (KE071-003001-). A smooth and fractured, sandstone rock (dims. 2.60m NNE-SSW; 1.70m ESE-WNW; max. H 0.70m), which has a triangular-shaped decorated surface (dims. 1.20m NNE-SSW; 1.70m ESE-WNW) and a slight S-facing aspect. This stone is very high (H 0.70m) across the N-sector, falling to a flatter area (H 0.15m) to S, bearing the rock art which is weathered yet traceable. There are seven cupmarks (diam. 2.5-5cm; D 3-6mm) across the decorated surface. Six of these are enclosed by an irregular groove (Wth 1cm; D 3mm) SE->W->NW, the higher area of the stone encloses across the N-sector and a natural, stepped fracture completes the E-side. A short, linear groove extends from the enclosing groove at S and there are three pickmarks and a cupmark adjacent to SW. A meandering line of pickmarks (L 77cm; Wth 1.5-2cm; D 3mm) is located 21cm to E and a second similar line of pickmarks (L 32cm; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) is located 75cm to WSW. The latter continues under a thick portion of sod.
Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly
Date of upload: 3 March 2017
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.