What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds a broad sandstone table where cup marks and ring lines still trace across weathered rock. The marks sit beside a field fence beneath the Seefin and Droum Mountains, exposing a time when people worked stone in open mountain air. They may have marked ownership, recorded memory or simply enjoyed shaping what the land offered.

In mountain heath (173m OD), amongst rock scatter, on a gentle NE-facing slope; Field fence is c. 19m to SSE. Good views of Behy river valley to NE with Seefin and Droum Mountains in background. A slightly rough and fractured, substantial sandstone boulder (dims. 4.6mm NE-SW; 4m NW-SE; H 0.75m at NW) which is subrectangular in plan. It has an irregular-shaped, table-topped decorated surface (dims. 1.2m NE-SW; 0.70m NW-SE) with motifs primarily upon the SW-facing aspect and one curvilinear groove upon the SE-facing aspect. The motifs are in reasonably good condition, although the surface is bleached, having been stripped of sod (D 0.4m) in relatively recent times. The decorative elements upon the SW-facing aspect consist of a very weathered cup-and-two-ring motif (total diam. 16cm) having a cupmark (dims. 4.5cm x 6cm; D 6mm) and ring (Wth 2cm; D 3-4mm) upon E side of decorated surface. A cup-and-ring (total diam. 8cm) having a cupmark (diam. 4.5cm; D 4mm) and ring (Wth 2cm; D 2-3mm) is adjacent to S. A linear picked line (dims. L 50cm; Wth 2.5cm; D 2-3mm) joins this cup-and-ring to the cup-and-three ring motif (total diam. 23cm) having a very deeply eroded cupmark (D 2cm). A picked linear motif extends from cup-and-three-ring motif at W. It forks to join a very faint cup-and-ring motif to NW; A cupmark (diam. 5cm; D 2-3mm) with very faint traces of a picked ring is adjacent to NE of latter. The main line of the picked linear motif continues in a curvilinear fashion along the western edge of the boulder, where it peters out. A picked curvilinear groove (Wth 2.5cm; D 4mm) is evident upon the SE-facing aspect. Rock art (KE071-174----) is c. 0.73m to SW. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 26 January 2018

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, this rock art may have held symbolic or ritual significance, possibly linked to landscape features or territorial markers. Its location offers strategic visibility, suggesting a connection to navigation, communication, or spiritual practices in the mountainous terrain.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.