What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds a fractured sandstone boulder decorated with four large cup-and-ring motifs, nestled among ancient hut sites and field walls on a NE-facing slope. The marks remain sharp because turf was recently removed, revealing a long radial groove and parallel lines that cut across the oval surface. People may have gathered here to read the valley below or mark the passage of seasons, turning a rough mountain stone into a shared language of dots and rings.

In rocky mountain heath (197m OD), on a NE-facing slope, located within a settlement of hut sites, enclosures and field walls. Excellent views of Behy river valley to NE with Seefin and Droum Mountains in background. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone boulder (dims. 1.65m ESE-WNW; 1.3m NNE-SSW; H 0.52m at NE) which is subrectangular in plan. It has a roughly oval decorated surface (dims. c. 1.3m ESE-WNW; c. 1.05m NNE-SSW) with an ESE-facing aspect bearing a number of large and well-defined motifs. The condition of the motifs is excellent probably due to being de-turfed in relatively recent years, as evident by obvious tidemark across short axis of stone’s surface. The decorative elements consist of four large cup-and-one-ring motifs (largest: diam. 17cm; cupmark 10.5cm; D 6mm; ring Wth 1.5-2cm; D 3-4mm) concentrated aceoss western area of stone with one off-centre to SE. A partial cup-and-one-ring motif in corner of stone at ENE has been eroded across N-half and is flanked by natural solution marks. A small cup-and-one-ring motif (total diam. 10cm) having a central cupmark (diam. 4.5cm; D 6mm) and ring (Wth 1.5cm; D 3mm) which appears penannular, whereby the E arc is formed by a natural fracture upon the stone’s surface is adjacent to E of the largest cup-and-one-ring motif; A long radial groove (Wth 2cm; D 3-4mm) extends across the stone from this cupmark at NE to a solution mark on W-side of partial cup-and-one-ring motif. A pair of parallel linear grooves (each L 13cm; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) extend from a cup-and-one ring motif at SW margin. Other linear and angular grooves, small pick and pockmarks are evident across stone surface. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 24 January 2018

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, this rock art is associated with a broader prehistoric settlement landscape. Its meaning is unclear, but such imagery may have had ritual or territorial significance, or reflected symbolic beliefs linked to the surrounding landscape.

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