Rock art

The National Monuments Service's description

This boulder is located in boggy land on the S side of the Caragh river, close to the head of the Bridia valley. Measuring 1.65m x .95m x .6m thick, the decoration is confined to the N end of its upper surface. There are three cup-and-rings, three cup-and-two rings, one cup-and-three rings and four simple cupmarks. A number of short grooves also occur. The surface of the stone is somewhat weathered, but the motifs are clearly decipherable. The rock art occurs within the bounds of a pre-bog field system (KE072-016----).

The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 355. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 28 July 2013

In mountain heath (130m OD), on eastern side of a low ridge, on a N-facing slope; Good views toward Bridia valley WNW->N->ENE and MacGillycuddy’s Reeks to NE.
A smooth and unfractured, earthfast sandstone boulder (dims. 1.72m NNE-SSW; 0.94m ESE-WNW; max. H 0.38m), which is very weathered and covered with black/green mosses and white lichen. This boulder has a flat, sub-rectangular decorated surface (dims. 1.0m NE-SW, 0.90m NW-SE). The motifs are difficult to see and consist of a cup-and-three-ring motif (overall dims. 28cm x 25cm; ring Wth 2cm; D 3mm; cup diam. 11cm; D 13mm) is off-centre to NE; The inner ring is complete, the second ring is open to N and the third ring is present NE->SE. A cupmark (diam. 6cm, D 5mm) with adjoining radial groove (dims. L 22cm; Wth 1cm; D 2mm) abut to SE. A cup-and-two-ring motif (overall diam. 19cm; ring Wth 1cm; D 3mm; cup diam. 7cm; D 10mm) is close to SW. A rectilinear groove (dims. L 12cm E-W; 19cm NE-SW; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) connects the cup-and-two-ring motif to the cup-and-three-ring motif. A linear groove (L 35cm E-W) extends from the cup-and-three-ring motif and terminates adjacent to a cupmark at W edge of stone. A cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 14cm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 2mm; cup diam. 9cm; D 10mm) is located at E edge of stone. A second cup-and-ring-motif is at NW edge of stone. Four single cupmarks (diam. 5-8cm; D 20-30mm) are to ENE, SE, SW and WSW of the two main motifs. A low, semi-circular stone wall curves around this rock art site E->S->W and is 4m to E at its closest point. The motifs are slightly different to that described by O’Sullivan & Sheehan (1996, 105), which may be due to moss and lichen cover that inhibits clear visibility of the decorated surface.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 5 July 2017