What is recorded here

Half a million years of weather have not erased the cupmarks and rings cut into the west-facing sandstone at Derrynablaha. They cluster south of a curving groove on a hogbacked boulder overlooking the Kealduff valley, while lichen still smothers parts of the ancient design. The stone stands in upland heather, exposing a human act old enough to have outlasted every name and memory that came after it.

This weathered carving is located on the W facing side of a hogbacked boulder, 2.9m x 2.6m x 2.1m high. Most of the motifs occur on the S side of a long curving groove and comprise seventeen simple cupmarks, a number of meandering grooves of varying lengths and fourteen cup-and-rings. The cupmarks of two of the latter are joined by a curving groove. On a lower level of the rock, N of the dividing groove, are two simple cupmarks and a badly weathered cup-and-ring. At its NW corner a long pocked groove outlines the edge of the rock (Anati 1963, 4, No.3; Finlay 1973, 75). See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 57 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. 307. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In upland heath pasture, on a SE-facing slope (216m OD). Land rises up steeply to NW from this point. Overlooked by rugged mountain landscape to SW. Extensive views of Kealduff river valley and over to Lough Brin to ENE. Smooth and fractured, substantial sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 2.9m N-S; 2.6m E-W; H 1.5m) with a sub-rectangular decorated surface (dims. 2.25m N-S; 1.3m E-W) having an W-facing aspect. The rock art is visible although covered by lichens and most of motifs are to S of a radial groove and to W of a natural rock fissure: Nineteen single cupmarks (diam. c. 5.5cm; D 3-4mm) concentrated across the central area of rock face including two outlying to N and one to SE; nine cup-and-one ring (total diam. c. 12cm) across centre of rock face with one outlying to SE, each having a cupmark (diam. 4-5cm; D 4mm) and ring (D 3-4mm); seven cupmarks and partial ring motifs (total diam. 10cm; D 3mm), some with radial grooves. Radial groove to W of decorated area and a line of distinct pick marks, to SW. To see a 3D model of this stone visit: https://skfb.ly/6yKAx Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 8 March 2017

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