Rock art

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough pasture, on a mantle of bog, on the N-facing lower slopes of Mullaghanattin. An earthfast stone (2.4m N-S; 1.9m E-W; H 0.4m) decorated on its slightly uneven, upper N-sloping surface. There are twenty-four motifs (diam. 9-28cm) consisting of nine cup-and-rings and fifteen cup-and-two rings. The rings can be either annular or penannular. Many motifs are indistinct due to weathering.

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

In mountain heath (203m OD), on a N-facing slope, overlooking Owenroe river valley to N and overlooked by Mullaghanattin to SE. A slightly rough and fractured, low profile boulder (dims. 2.23m NE-SW; 1.92m NW-SE; H 0.46m) having a roughly square and decorated surface (dims. 2.23m NE-SW, 1.92m NW-SE) with a NW-facing aspect. This is a highly decorated stone with approximately thirty-two motifs covering most of the stone surface including a cup-and-three-ring motif (overall diam. 23cm; cup diam. 5cm; D 5mm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 2mm) at N. There are fourteen cup-and-two-ring motifs (overall diam. 22cm; cup diam. 7cm; D 4mm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm) across the decorated surface; A natural fracture (long-axis N-S) truncates a cup-and-two-ring motif on N side of stone and a similar fracture (long-axis N-S) truncates a cup-and-two-ring in SW area of stone. There are thirteen cup-and-ring motifs (overall diam. 15cm; cup diam. 5cm; D 5mm; ring Wth 2cm; D 2mm) across the decorated surface; A fracture (long-axis NE-SW) truncates the ring of a cup-and-ring motif upon S portion of stone surface. A cupmark (diam. 6cm; D 5mm) with a radial groove (dims. L 8cm; Wth 1cm; D 2mm) is off-centre to SW. A large oval area (dims. 38cm x 36cm) enclosing a cup-and-ring motif (diam. 16cm; cup diam. 7cm; D 8mm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm) occupies S area of stone. A single cupmark is located toward SE edge and a single ring is at N of decorated surface. This stone has a higher surface to SW and a lower surface to NE, whereby there is a step (long-axis E-W; (H c. 0.10-0.15m) which is highest at E side. There are two small platform areas in centre of stone that appear to have been deliberately made, each bearing a cup-and-ring motif. There are a number of natural solution marks /erosion pockets upon stone surface.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 5 July 2017