Rock art

The National Monuments Service's description

In a land drain (long-axis NE-SW) and partially covered by bog, on a gentle NE-facing slope (154m OD). Field boundary flanks drain to SE and corner of field is c. 7 m to SW. Some peaty soil removed to expose the decorated surface as much as possible. Views of Behy River valley to N, from upper edge of drain. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone rock (dims. 1.36m NE-SW; 0.73m NW-SE; 0.34m (max. H to base of drain) with a long, irregular-shaped decorated surface (dims. 1.01m NE-SW; 0.53m NW-SE) which has a flat area on top and a slight NW-tilting aspect. The rock art consists of thirty-three cupmarks and a linear groove (long-axis NE-SW; Wth 2cm; D 3mm) off-centre to SE of the decorated surface, which alternates to a curvilinear groove of rough pickmarks at the SW-end. This linear/curvilinear groove appears to divide the decorated surface, having twenty-five of the cupmarks to NW and eight to SE. Nine of the cupmarks to NW form a rosette-style motif which consists of a large, central cupmark (diam. 7cm; D 11mm) enclosed by eight smaller cupmarks (average diam. 4cm; D 3mm). This rosette motif is enclosed by the curvilinear groove SE->W->NW. There are a pair of small cupmarks (average diam. 4cm; D 3mm) to N of the rosette and a single cupmark of similar size, to W of the curvilinear motif. Eleven cupmarks (average diam. 4cm; D 3mm) are to E of the rosette motif, on the NW-side of the linear groove. Eight cupmarks (diam. 4-5cm; D 3mm) are located to SE of the linear/curvilinear groove and of these, a large cupmark (diam. 6cm; D 4mm) is at SW-end of decorated surface. Decoration continues under bank of peat at edge of drain.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 27 March 2017