Rock art in An Lóthar

In a modern field clearance cairn immediately S of the fence enclosing Loher Fort, the upper surface of a boulder in this cairn which is inscribed with five cupmarks as well as picked lines and clusters of picking is visible some 1.2m above ground level. The flat textured upper surface of the sandstone boulder is crescent shaped at its S edge and straight along its N edge, measuring 1.8m long E/W and up to 0.63m wide N/S along its mid-point, tapering to 0.3m wide at W and 0.23m wide at E. The long axis of the upper surface slopes upwards to NE, the short axis upwards to NNW. Some 7 fine veins of quartz concentrated on the W end of the boulder run N/S across the upper surface and continue down the side of the boulder at S, the largest vein being located off-centre, some 0.95m from the E end of the boulder. The two most readily visible cupmarks are located either side of the off-centre quartz vein, the lower cupmark (#1: diam. 0.06m, D. 8mm) at E, the most symmetrically-shaped and most prominent of the features on this panel, is located 0.34m down from the N edge and 0.18m E of this vein. The second most visible cupmark (#2: diam. 0.095m, D. 11mm) at W, is located 0.2m down from the N edge and 0.15m W of this vein. Picking concentrated N of the most prominent cupmark (#1) continues towards N for approx. 0.1m to (#3) a sub-circular area of picking (diam. 0.07m, D. 2–4mm) conjoined at W with a smaller circular area of picking (diam. 0.03m, D. 2–4mm). A line of picking extends from N of the prominent cupmark to NE for 0.25m, running beyond a crack which runs diagonally NW/SE across the surface and continuing NE past a small cupmark (#4, diam 0.035m, D. 6mm), this cupmark being located E of the diagonally running crack and 0.2m NE of the prominent cupmark. Two further cupmarks are located at the E and W extents of the boulder. The cupmark (#5, diam. 0.055m, D. 9mm) at W, 0.18m in from the W edge and 0.15m down from the N edge, is located between two quartz veins. Picking extends beyond the vein at E towards the N edge of the upper surface. The cupmark (#6, diam. 0.065m, D. 8mm) at E, formed on a natural crack, is located 0.07m in from the E edge and 0.17m down from the N edge. The boulder sits on 3 or more of the approx. 30 boulders forming this cairn, the view of its S side blocked by one of the large boulders at the edge of the cairn’s S face. Viewed from S, it can appear that the S side of the boulder has a fairly flat-surfaced rectangular-shaped face (height: 0.23m x length 1.8m) at a 90 degree angle in relation to the upper surface. However, beyond this rectangular shaped area, the S side of the boulder continues downwards, its irregular surface sloping sharply inwards towards N for approx. 0.35m. The N side of the boulder is overlain by a small boulder at N. Vegetation and boulders obscure the sides at E and W. The original location of this stone is unknown and it may not necessarily have come from the same field as that in which it is currently located (pers. comm. the landowner). Rock art panel KE106-015011- is 15m to N within the fence enclosing Loher Fort. Excellent views from the cairn to Ballinskelligs bay to W, Skellig Michael being wholly visible on the horizon from this point. Compiled by: Aoibheann Lambe Date of upload: 3 September 2018