Rock art in Coomasaharn

Located at the N end of the rock art complex, this partially exposed section of rock outcrop bears a dense cluster of motifs that occupies an area measuring 1.8m x 1.3m. The decorated surface slopes upwards to NE and features five cup-and-rings, two cup-and-two rings, one with radial groove, at least five simple cupmarks, and two cupmarks which appear to have originally featured concentric rings, though these are now extremely weathered. At the S end of the surface are two complex motifs consisting of cupmarks with radial grooves located within four or five haphazard concentric rings, with a cup-and-ring attached to the outer rings of both. A number of linear grooves occur on the decorated surface, one of which forms part of a small grid pattern. See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 48 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. 270. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In area of blanket bog, on a N-facing slope (168m OD); pre-bog field wall (long axis N-S) is c. 1.5m to W and corner of existing field is c. 8m to E. Good views across Behy River valley to NE. A smooth and fractured, low-lying sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 1.95m NW-SE; 1.3m NE-SW; max. H 0.35m at N), which is irregular in plan and has a relatively flat decorated surface (dims. 1.45m NW-SE; 0.70m NE-SW) with a very slight NE-facing tilt. The motifs are very faint and worn by weathering. There are six cupmarks across the decorated surface of which there are two large cupmarks (diam. 6cm; D 3-5mm) off-centre to N, with very obvious pickmarks to E. Three obvious cupmarks (Wth 2.5cm; D 3-4mm) upon the SW area and a small cupmark in the SE area of decorated surface. A small cup-and-ring motif (diam. 7cm) has a cupmark (diam. 8mm) and ring of pickmarks, close to NW area. One cup-and-ring motif (dims. 21cm N-S; 17cm E-W) has a second partial outer ring around W-side and is located to W-side of stone surface. This motif consists of a cupmark (diam. 6cm; D 5mm) and ring groove (Wth 2cm; D 2-3mm). A pennanular area of pickmarks are located upon the SW area and there are numerous other pickmarks evident across the decorated surface of this rock. This record is markedly different to O’Sullivan & Sheehan (1996, 82, Entry 270, Figure 48 (a), probably due to encroaching bog, surface water and vegetation. A long, narrow field is c. 1.5m to SSE, the northern boundary of which has been removed. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 2 March 2017