What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper holds cup-and-ring marks cut into sandstone, some buried under peat until recently freed. The western edge preserves sharp grooves and rings while the eastern edge blunts under weather, suggesting the rock faced people long before it faced forgetting. A hand may have traced these spirals and radial lines beneath open sky, marking time, ownership or wonder on a surface sturdy enough to survive.

This rectangular section of rock outcrop, whose decorated surface rises upwards to E, measures 2.8m x 1.2m. One weathered motif occurs at the E end and consists of a cup-and-two rings with a short curving groove extending from the outermost ring; faint traces of a third ring survive. The motifs at the W end, recently relieved of their covering of peat, are extremely well-preserved. A short groove is executed close to a cup-and-three gapped rings with a radial line. Another cup-and-three rings features two radial grooves, one extending from the outer and the other from the innermost ring; the latter ring is bisected by a transverse groove. A cup-and-radial groove motif is enclosed by three gapped, spiralling rings near the SE limits of the exposed surface. Extending from the outermost of these rings is a long curving groove that terminates in a cupmark enclosed by an oval ring. Dispersed among the motifs are irregular patches of pocking and numerous individual pockmarks. See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 64 (a) 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. 333. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. In small field of rough pasture (141m OD), on an E-facing slope, overlooking plateau of bog and Behy River valley NE->E->SE including Seefin to E and Beenreagh, Macklaun, Knocknaman, Coomreagh and Drung Hill mountains SE->NW. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone rock (dims. 1.9m N-S; 2.8m E-W; max. H 0.9m at E) with a triangular decorated surface (dims. 0.80m N-S; 2.0m E-W) which has a W-facing aspect. The motifs are very faint and weathered on E side of stone surface yet are better preserved where they are closer to ground level, on W side. A penannular cup-and-three-ring motif (overall diam. 22cm; cup dims. 4.5cm x 3cm; D 4mm; ring Wth 1cm; D 4-5mm) is at W edge of stone surface; A linear groove (L 13cm) extends from beyond the cupmark to the exterior of the rings. A curvilinear groove (L 29cm; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) extends from outer ring at E in a NE direction to a fractured area containing an oval motif. This oval element was not clearly seen due to moss cover and water within the fracture. A complete cup-and-three-ring motif (overall diam. 19cm; cup dims. 3cm; D 6mm; ring Wth 1cm; D 6mm) is adjacent to E; A linear groove (L 16cm) extends from the inner ring at SSW and beyond the outer ring where it is intersected by a short perpendicular groove. A short linear groove also extends from outer ring at SE. A pennanular cup-and-three-ring motif (overall diam. 23cm; cup dims. 3cm; D 5mm; ring Wth 1-1.5cm; D 5mm) is close to SE. A radial groove (L 11cm) depicted by O’Sullivan & Sheehan (1996, 100; Fig. 64a) extending from the cup to beyond the rings at S, has been affected by freeze-thaw and now appears as a step. A separate linear groove (L 17cm; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) of pickmarks is located 3cm to E. A faint and weathered cup-and-two-ring motif (overall diam. 16cm; cup dims. 3.5cm; D 2mm; ring Wth 1cm; D 3mm) is situated at E side of decorated surface. A curvilinear groove (dims. L 10cm; Wth 1cm; D 2mm) extends from outer ring at W. A short and very weathered arc (C 10cm) of a potential third ring (Wth 2cm; D 2mm) is evident E->SE. A faint trace of a previously unrecorded cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 13cm; cup diam. 3cm; D 2mm; ring Wth 1cm; D 2mm) is located c. 43m to E of latter cup-and-three-ring motif & 33cm to W of latter cup-and-two-ring motif. Other grass and moss covered boulders in this field may have potential for rock art. A disused dwelling house is located to W. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 5 July 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art at Kealduff Upper may have held ritual or symbolic significance, possibly linked to water sources or territorial markers. Cup-and-ring motifs are commonly associated with ceremonial or shamanistic practices in prehistoric Britain and Ireland.

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