What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds a cup-and-six rings carved into flat sandstone beside a mountain gorge in County Kerry. The radial groove pierces the outer ring like a arrow thrown into time, while pre-bog walls nearby suggest people lived and marked this edge before blanket bog swallowed the valley. Whoever stood there may have watched water cut the rock or traced a path across the sky, because the marks still point outward instead of fading into forgetfulness.

Located adjacent to KE071-054---- is a flat section of outcrop, 2.2m x 1.4m, which bears a cup-and-six rings, with a radial groove extending slightly beyond the outermost ring, and a short curved groove. Pre-bog walls occur in the vicinity of this. 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. 348. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 July 2013 In upland heath and blanket bog, on a NE-facing slope (223m OD), c. 3m to SE of deeply incised gorge of small mountain stream (long axis NE-SW). A slightly rough and fractured, sandstone rock (dims. 3.75m N-S; 2.50m E-W; max. H 1.20m), which has a flat, irregular-shaped decorated surface (dims. 2.20m N-S x 1.20m E-W); Possible evidence of freeze/thaw action where small parts of stone have flaked off. This is an area of rock outcrop that is c. 1.2m above ground level on NE-side and runs under the peat on the upslope to SW. There is a thin strip of sod separating the main portion of rock from a small area to NW. The N and S areas of the decorated surface are divided by a natural fracture (long-axis E-W) and the N-half is smoother than the S-half, so possibly prepared prior to decoration. The motifs are well-defined and consist of a cup-and-six ring motif (dims. 38cm N-S x 41cm E-W) consisting of a cupmark (diam. 4.5cm; D 10mm) and ring (Wth 1.0cm; D 3mm). A linear groove (L 20cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm) extends eastwards from the cupmark to the sixth ring. A second linear groove (L 24cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm) extends to NE from cupmark and continues beyond concentric rings; This terminates in another cupmark (diam. 4cm, D 3mm). There is a line of pickmarks (long-axis NW-SE) extending from S-side of the same cupmark and continuing to SE, under the peat. In addition to the cupmark to NE, the cup-and-six ring motif has two other cupmarks (diam. 4-5cm; D4-5mm) adjacent to W and NW. A line of pickmarks (long-axis NW-SE; L 0.50m, D 3mm) is located 0.36m to W of the cup-and-six-ring motif. This line begins at the natural fracture that divides the rock surface and finishes to NW at another natural fracture. A fourth cupmark (diam. 4.5m; D 6mm) is outlying on the portion of rock to NW and a line of pickmarks (L 0.26m; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) is located 0.23m to SE. This portion of stone is separated from the main stone surface by a layer of sod. Rock art site (KE071-054----) is located 0.70m to W. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 3 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, this rock art may have held ritual or symbolic significance, possibly related to water or territorial markers. The cup-and-rings motif is commonly associated with ceremonial or funerary contexts in prehistoric Britain and Ireland.

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