Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Rock art
Letter West, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Letter West
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Coordinates
- 52.01444, -10.01139
- SMR number
- KE071-186----
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 mountain heath (168m OD), on a NE-facing slope, to NW of stream. Good views overlooking Behy River valley to NE and overlooked by mountains SE->W->NW. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone (dims. 1.25m N-S; 1.63m E-W; max. H 0.25m at SW) which is subrectangular in plan. It has an irregular decorated surface (dims. 0.88m N-S; 0.75m E-W) with the decorative elements concentrated upon the S-facing aspect and two single cupmarks upon a generally flat surface adjacent to N. The motifs upon the S-facing aspect consist of a set of four very prominent cupmarks of similar size and form. They are arranged two pairs either side of a linear groove (L 38cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm). The pair of cupmarks (max. diam. 6cm; D 11mm) to W of the linear groove are almost conjoined whereby there is a low saddle between them, however this part of the rock may simply be prone to natural erosion. The two cupmarks to E of the linear groove are 4cm apart; the largest of these cupmarks (diam. 7cm; D 10mm) is to N. An M-shaped motif (total dims. 0.54m ENE-WSW; 0.44m NNW-SSE) formed by a meandering groove (Wth 1.5-2cm; D 3-4mm) encloses the four cupmarks and the short linear groove. Other possible linear grooves to E and W of M-shaped feature, although too faint to confirm as rock art. A single cupmark is adjacent to NW of the M-shaped feature and a second cupmark (diam. 3.5cm; D 9mm) is c. 42cm to NNW. Rock art (KE071-185----) is c. 14m to SSE.
Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly
Date of upload: 26 January 2018
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.