Rock art in Ballyrowragh

Resting on the stony bed of a shallow river flowing roughly E-W along this stretch, in a river valley. The river bank is overgrown with trees and scrub. There is a steep cliff-edge c. 10m to the S and to the N the ground rises steadily. There is a road bridge over the river c. 40m to the W and a railway bridge and high railway embankment 20m to the E. It is not known how long the boulder with the rock art has been lying in the river. The rock art was identified and reported by Larry Kirwan. A rounded roughly oval boulder (H 1.1m; 1.17m x 1.1m) with rock art, identified and reported by Larry Kirwan. The S end rests in slightly deeper water (D c. 0.01m) while the N end is on drier ground towards the edge of the river. The S side of the boulder has a relatively flat vertical surface (H 1.1m; Wth 1.14m) which gently undulates. It is on this surface that the rock art has been carved with deeply incised grooves (Wth c. 0.01m; D 0.008m). The carving occupies most of this vertical surface and forms an integrated, roughly triangular, decorative scheme (H c. 0.5-0.6m; Wth 0.78m). Within the scheme the decoration appears to divide into three distinct areas. The W portion consists of two parallel linear panels (L 0.55m; Wth 0.18m), running at an angle of 140°, each subdivided into five smaller, and largely parallel, smaller rectangles, with all, except the uppermost western rectangle, containing a shallow central cupmark (Wth c. 0.02m). The top of this W portion terminates in a triangle. The lowest portion of the scheme (D c. 0.1m) is under water. The E portion consists of a linear panel (L 0.37m; Wth 0.11m), running at an angle of 45°, subdivided into five rectangles. The central portion consists of a triangular area (H 0.3m; Wth 0.53m) subdivided into a central triangle (H 0.17m; Wth 0.13m) with two triangles and two rectangles to the E, a triangle subdivided into two or three triangles/sub rectangles to the W and a squat triangle below. The outer groove line along the E side terminates above the linear panel. Beneath the water, following the design by feel, gives an indication that some of the lines subdividing the E portion continue beyond the outer groove. There is an undulating groove running E-W c. 0.1m above the decorative scheme. This groove may delineate the upper edge of the design, though it is significantly shallower than the rest of the decoration. The closest parallels for this style of rock art appear to be at Brow Moor and Stoupe Brow, Fylingdales, North York Moors, England. These have been dated to the Early Bronze Age, however, the unusual decoration on these and on the Ballyrowragh stone may suggest an earlier date in the Neolithic period. See attached photographs: KK044-025----_01 Carved surface of boulder from the S, with ranging rod KK044-025----_02 Carved surface of boulder from the SE with oblique lighting KK044-025----_03 E side of boulder from the SE KK044-025----_04 Carved surface of boulder from the S with oblique lighting, with photographic scales KK044-025----_05 W side of boulder from the W with railway bridge and embankment in the background Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 July 2021