What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds a rectangular sandstone boulder beside a mountain stream, its flat surface marked by cup-and-ring motifs, radial grooves and pickmarks that cut through weathered rock. The carvings sit on a north-east facing slope above a deep gorge, where water has already sculpted the stone and human tools may have followed natural lines. Anyone standing there hears the stream and sees marks that could be made or discovered, blending human intention with ancient erosion.

This rectangular boulder is located at the side of a small stream and measures 1.25m x .5m x .35m high. Its decorated upper surface features a cup-and-two rings, a very weathered cup-and-ring, a D-shaped area of light pocking and a natural solution pit. 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. 347. 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 and blanket bog, on a NE-facing slope (223m OD), c. 2m to SE of deeply incised gorge of small mountain stream (long axis NE-SW). A slightly rough and fractured, sandstone rock (dims. 1.28m N-S; 0.52m E-W; max. H 0.53m), which has a flat, sub-rectangular decorated surface (dims. 0.70m N-S; 0.40m E-W). The motifs are well-defined and consist of one cupmark (dims. 4.5m N-S; 3.5m E-W; D 3mm) located in SW area; the W-side of the cupmark appears naturaly formed and the E-side man-made, so it is possibly a natural depression reused as a cupmark. There is one cup-and-one ring motif (diam. 8.5cm) having a cupmark (diam. 4.5cm; D 15mm) and ring (Wth 8mm; D 2-3m). One cup-and-two ring motif (dims. 22cm N-S; 23cm E-W) having a cupmark (diam. 6cm; D 13mm) and ring (Wth 2-3cm; D 6-7mm); A radial groove (long-axis N-S) extends from cupmark to SE and continues as a line of pickmarks (L 11cm; Wth 1cm; D 3-4mm) which extends to SE from outer ring; Possible natural fracture (L 24cm; D 9-13mm) at a tangent to and incorporated into outer ring on N-side, appears to have been enhanced to form a step (long-axis E-W). Circular area of pickmarks (dims. 0.20m N-S; 0.18m E-W; D 3mm) to NE area and deep, natural depression at N-end of decorated surface. Rock art site (KE071-055----) is located 0.70m to E. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 3 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art at Kealduff Upper may have had ritual or symbolic significance, possibly linked to water or territorial markers. Cup-and-ring motifs are commonly associated with prehistoric ceremonial practices in the British Isles.

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