Rock art in Letter West

This monument was initially identified as rock art by Aoibheann Lambe in 2014.  In mountain heath, on a gentle NE-facing slope (206m OD), overlooking Behy River valley to NE and overlooked by mountains SE->W->NE. Watercourse (draining from Coomnacronia Lake) is located 2.5m to SE and bog trackway is c. 18m to NW. A slightly rough and fractured, freestanding sandstone boulder (dims. 1.52m N-S; 0.96m E-W; average H 0.5m; max. H 1.20m at S), having a small stone adjacent to SE that acts as a step-up to view this decorated stone. Rectangular decorated surface (dims. 1.20m NW-SE; 0.90m NE-SW) which is generally flat. Rock art is very weathered and faint consisting of a single cupmark (diam. 3cm; D 4mm) in SE area and a possible cupmark (diam. 7cm; D 3-4mm) at N-end of stone, where surface is extremely weathered. A partial cup-and-ring motif (diam. 24cm E-W) having a cupmark (diam. 3.5cm; D 5mm) and a semi-circular ring (Wth 8-10mm; D 3-4mm) ENE->S->WNW which is incomplete around northern arc, possibly due to weathering. A very faint, gently curving line of pickmarks (L 19cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 2-3mm) is located c. 35cm to N. A gently curving line of pickmarks (L 11cm E-W; Wth 8-10mm; D 3mm) is located in the NW area of decorated surface. The decorated surfaces may have been prepared prior to carving motifs at NW and SE areas. This is inconclusive due to extreme weathering upon this stone including evidence of freeze/thaw action. 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 symbolic or ritual significance, possibly linked to the surrounding landscape and water features. Its meaning remains undeciphered, but such art often reflected spiritual beliefs or territorial markers in prehistoric societies.