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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Rock art

Tuar An Chladáin, County Kerry, Ireland

The record

Townland
Tuar An Chladáin
County
Kerry
Country
Ireland
Latest-edition OS map
Not indicated
Coordinates
51.95813, -10.01630
SMR number
KE081-038001-

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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The National Monuments Service's description

Two large tabular blocks of rock are located between two tributaries of the Owroe river on the lower S slopes of Coomacarrea mountain. They stand 2m apart, and together form a significant feature in the boggy landscape. The block at W is decorated on its upper surface, which slopes gently up to SW. The largest motif is a cup-and-two rings, with a maximum diameter of .48m. A similar but smaller motif occurs on its NW side, and on its NE side are two cupmarks and a dense area of pocking enclosed by a ring. Elsewhere are ten cupmarks, two cup-and-rings and three straight grooves, one of which terminates in a cupmark. At the SE base of this rock is a loose slab, 1.7m .7m .15m thick, the upper surface of which is decorated with a cup-and-two rings and three apparently natural depressions. The outlines of the latter are enhanced by pocking.

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. 374. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 28 July 2013

In mountain pasture (147m OD), on a SE-facing slope, to S of Coomacarrea Mountain and overlooking the Owroe and Inny river valleys; Adjacent to SE of prominent rock art boulder (KE081-038----) and potentially fractured from it. A smooth and unfractured sandstone boulder (dims. 1.22m NW-SE; 0.68m NE-SW; H 0.40m at NE) with a sub-rectangular decorated surface (dims. 0.47m NW-SE; 0.50m NE-SW) having a SE-facing aspect. The motifs are weathered and consist of a cup-and-two-ring motif (overall diam. 47cm NW-SE; 42cm NE-SW; cup diam. 8cm; D 6mm; ring Wth 2cm; D 2-3mm) having picked rings and a squared outer ring which is obscured by moss across W arc. A probable cupmark (diam. 4cm; D 2.5cm) appears to have weathered unevenly, whereby the base is sloped. Moss covers S end and W edge of stone. A stream is located c. 30m to NW and a boundary fence is c. 30m to SW.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 5 July 2017

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
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