What is recorded here

Seven cupmarks and three smaller dots mark a flat sandstone slab barely ten centimetres above the bog at Coomasaharn. The rings around most cups have worn into broken arcs, suggesting time or water erased what chisels once drew. The stone sits on a northeast-facing slope above the Behy River valley, where views reach Glenbeigh and the cutaway terrain still carries the scent of turf. Whoever marked it worked low to the ground, perhaps kneeling in damp grass, making small circles that could be counted from a distance or touched in darkness.

This flat section of rock outcrop bears seven cupmarks, with segments of concentric rings, on its upper surface. Two of these motifs are extremely weathered. Three simple cupmarks also occur. The maximum dimensions of the exposed portion of the stone are 2.05m x 1.05m. See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 49 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. 271. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In an area of cutaway bog, used to spread out turf, on a NE-facing slope (186m OD); bog trackway is c. 2.2m to SE. Excellent views across Behy River valley to NE, as far as Glenbeigh. A smooth and fractured, sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 1.55m N-S; 0.95m E-W; max. H 0.10m), barely protruding (H 0.05-0.1m) above surface of bog. This low-lying rock is irregular in plan with a relatively flat decorated surface (dims. 0.8m N-S; 0.75m E-W) with a very slight NNE-facing aspect. The motifs are very faint and worn by weathering. There are three cupmarks (diam. 4cm; D 3-4mm) toward the northern area of the surface. There are seven cup-and-one ring motifs (diam. 9-10cm) each having a cupmark (diam. 4-4.5cm; D 3-4mm) and all having incomplete rings (Wth 1.0cm; D 2-3mm), probably due to weathering. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 2 March 2017

This rock art is likely from the Neolithic or Bronze Age period, based on the presence of cup-and-ring marks typical of that era in Britain and Ireland. Such markings may have had ritual or symbolic significance, possibly related to astronomy, territorial markers, or ceremonial practices.

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