What is recorded here

An Lóthar is a small sandstone slab beside Loher Fort in County Kerry, decorated with cup-and-ring marks and shallow grooves. It sits on a west-facing slope above Ballinskelligs Bay, overlooked by Farraniaragh Mountain. The marks are worn but still visible, suggesting people worked the stone when the bay and mountain filled the whole horizon.

On maintained landscaped grounds, c. 2.75m to SW of Loher Fort (KE106-015----), on a generally level area of ground (66m OD), of an otherwise W-facing slope. Excellent views of Ballinskelligs Bay W->NW; overlooked by Farraniaragh Mountain to E. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 0.70m NNE-SSW; 1.10m ESE-WNW; max. H 0.35m at S) having a subrectangular decorated surface (dims. 0.60m NNE-SSW; 0.90m ESE-WNW) bearing very weathered motifs. A ledge (H 2.5cm) divides the stone into two distinct areas: The upper E half has three cup-and-ring motifs (overall diam. 11-17cm; ring Wth 2-2.5cm; D 4-5cm; cup diam. 6-8cm; D 5-9mm), two cupmarks (range diam. 5-8cm; D 5-16mm), five pockmarks (diam. 1.5-2cm; D 3-4mm), a number of pickmarks (diam. 1cm; D 4mm); A short curvilinear groove (L 15cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 3-4mm) is located upon the area between the three cup-and-ring motifs. The lower W half bears motifs of a similar size including a partial cup-and-ring motif, three cupmarks, two pockmarks and a number of pickmarks. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 7 July 2017

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