What is recorded here

Rock art in Letter West carries twenty-six cupmarks and meandering pick lines across a low sandstone slab, hiding a possible map of ancient routeways beneath upland heath. The marks cluster toward the south while three cups punctuate the higher northern edge, suggesting deliberate placement rather than random weathering. Anyone walking the nearby trackway might have followed those same lines between settlements, reading the stone as a chart instead of merely decorating it.

In upland heath, on a gentle NE-facing slope (174m OD); Stream close to E and a trackway is c. 7m to SE. Overlooked by mountains SE->W->NE and overlooking Behy River valley to NE. A slightly rough and fractured, sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 3.30m N-S; 1.80m E-W; max. H 0.40m at N) that is a generally flat and low in profile (min. H 0.10m) which has a higher surface at N-end (max. H 0.40m). It has an irregular decorated surface (dims. 3.00m N-S; 1.80m E-W) which has a slight NE-facing aspect. A shallow land drain (long-axis NE-SW) abuts to N. The rock art is very weathered yet visible, covering most of the stone surface, being concentrated toward S-half of the decorated surface. Twenty-six cupmarks (diam. 3-8cm; D 4-12mm) of varying sizes were noted mainly across S-half of the stone and three upon the high area of rock surface at the N-end. A possible cup-and-one ring motif (diam. 8cm) having a cupmark (diam. 1.5cm; D 3mm) and ring (Wth 1cm; D 3mm) of pickmarks SE->W->N, is located centrally at W-end of decorated surface. Highly decorated surface of pickmarks (diam. 5mm; D 2-4mm) across decorated surface, except the rough, high area at N-end. These form a series of meandering lines and others are concentrated in clusters. A distinct line of pickmarks (L 1m E-W; Wth 2cm; D 3mm) terminating in a shallow cupmark at W, is off-centre to S. It is possible that these meandering picked lines represent a map of routeways between settlements. There may be more motifs upon this rock surface, under the surrounding peat. Rock art site (KE071-083----) is c. 4m to SSW. Initially identified as rock art by Aoibheann Lambe (2014). Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 27 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, this rock art may have had ritual or territorial significance, possibly linked to landscape features such as the nearby stream and valley. No specific folklore is recorded for the site.

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