Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Rock art
Spunkane, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Spunkane
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 51.84353, -10.16496
- SMR number
- KE098-137----
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
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
This site is located on the SW spur of Knag hill, overlooking Lough Currane to E and Ballinskelligs Bay to W. The weathered decoration occurs on two horizontal surfaces of a large section of rock outcrop, which falls almost vertically at W. The larger surface bears three cup-and-two rings, the outer rings in each case being gapped, one cup-and-ring, and four cupmarks, one with a radial groove. The second surface features two cup-and-rings, three cupmarks, and two linear grooves. One of the cup-and-rings has the arc of a second ring, which terminates at one end with a cupmark.
Finlay recorded another decorated surface 40m to the W of this which featured a cup-and-ring, partly enclosed in a Y-shaped figure formed by grooves, a cupmark with radial groove, and a short straight groove (1973, 61-2; Fig. 72). 5m to S was a lightly picked square. Neither of these surfaces can now be identified.
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. 365. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 28 July 2013
In rough mountain heath (80m OD), on a W-facing slope; Excellent views of Ballinskelligs Bay to SW and Lough Currane to SE. Not seen. There was ‘a lightly picked square’ recorded upon an outcrop 5m to S of rock art site (KE098-136----) by Finlay (O’Sullivan & Sheehan 1996, 106). There is extremely weathered rock outcrop at this location which is obscured by sod, moss and furze. It is feasible that subtle motifs may be present beneath this vegetation, although limited investigation proved negative.
Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly
Date of upload: 7 July 2017
Nearby in the register
- Rock artunder 1 mi
- Rock artunder 1 mi
- Cross-slabunder 1 mi
- Standing stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.