What is recorded here

Clear water rinsed the soil from the rock face, revealing a shallow oval ring and thin lines cutting across the stone. The markings sat beside ordinary bog, where people had long taken turf and left the place unchanged. They may have marked a boundary, recorded a event or simply given the edge of the field a shape that could be touched. The stone kept its quiet line while the land around it changed.

A number of faint motifs were revealed on this rock when a portion of it, measuring 1.4m x 1.1m, was exposed by peat-cutting. These include a cup-and-ring from which a curving radial line extends, a possible ‘keyhole’ motif, and nine simple cupmarks, some of which are enclosed by linear grooves. 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. 280. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In cutaway bog, at edge of turf bank (H 0.6m), on a NE-facing slope (158m OD), overlooking the Behy River valley to NE. A slightly rough and fractured, sandstone rock (dims. 1.78m NE-SW; 2.30m NW-SE; max. H 0.60m at NW), which has a roughly rectangular decorated surface (dims. 0.70m NE-SW x 0.60m NW-SE) with a NE-facing aspect. The rock art is very faint and visually distorted by large patches of white and grey lichens. The motifs consist of a sub-oval area (dims. 28cm NE-SW; 22cm NW-SE) defined by a groove (Wth 2cm; D 3-4mm). Linear grooves of similar size and form extend from sub-oval area at N and SE. The groove to N extends across face of stone and is the most obvious of all the markings. Two roughly circular areas of pickmarks (diam. c. 7cm; D 3mm) to E and N of sub-oval area. These could represent the remains of picked cupmarks. This is at the same location as rock art site (KE071-059----) and may represent the same stone that has been exposed by turf cutting and surrounding growth has subsequently regenerated. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 3 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art at Coomasaharn may have held ritual or symbolic significance, possibly linked to territorial markers, spiritual beliefs, or astronomical observations. The presence of a cup-and-ring motif and keyhole shape suggests connections to broader Atlantic European rock art traditions.

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