What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds a fractured boulder where six faint pickmark motifs still trace a line and oval cluster across weathered stone. The marks sit below a horseshoe of mountains and above the Behy River valley, exposing whoever chipped them to wide sky and changing light. They may have marked a boundary, recorded a event or simply tested the patience of stone. Whatever their intent, the mountain kept the shape long after the hand disappeared.

In mountain heath (142m OD), in an area of rock outcrop and boulders, on a NE-facing slope. Excellent view of Behy River valley to NE and overlooked by horseshoe of mountains enclosing SE->SW->N. A slightly rough and fractured earthfast boulder (dims. 2.80m N-S; 1.50m E-W; max. H 1.25m) which is subrectangular in plan. The decorated surface (dims. 1.00m N-S; 1.00m E-W) has a gentle SW-facing aspect and has natural striations (long-axis NE-SW) which are weathered leaving a residual rippled effect. The decorative elements are very weathered and consist of six motifs. A short line (long-axis NE-SW) of pickmarks (L 18cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 4mm) extends from a natural fracture (long-axis NNW-SSE) at its NE end and continues under a dense clump of furze at its SW end; A depressed, oval cluster of pickmarks (dims. 8cm NNW-SSE; 4cm ENE-WSW; D 5mm) is located c. 10cm to E. Three pickmarks are located c. 24cm to E. An intermittent line of pickmarks (L 38cm) is located on W margin of stone. A trackway is located c. 8m to E, as depicted upon current edition OS six inch map. A stream is located c. 2m to N. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 18 July 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art in Kealduff Upper may have held ritual or territorial significance, possibly linked to landscape features or seasonal movements. Its placement suggests a connection to wider prehistoric pathways or ceremonial use of the mountainous terrain.

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