What is recorded here

Kealduff Upper hides most of its rock art beneath peat, leaving only a narrow southern strip exposed for human eyes. That much is clear. The missing majority may contain other cups, rings or grooves, waiting for erosion or excavation to reveal them. What remains visible already defies simple description, with curving grooves and pocked ovals that suggest a busy hand rather than a hesitant one.

This section of outcrop, sloping upwards to NE, is largely buried beneath peat. The decorative motifs on the exposed section at S cover an area of 1.6m x 2m. There are two cup-and-two rings with radial grooves, and three cupmarks. One of the latter is disposed within a grooved arc, and one of the cup-and-two rings has a second groove curving from the outer ring and terminating in a cupmark. Elsewhere on the decorated surface is a long meandering groove which terminates in an oval-shaped pocked area with some further grooves and patches of pocking. 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. 339. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In well-grazed mountain heath (151m OD), with a concentration of rock outcrop and boulders, on a general NE-facing slope; Good views of River Behy valley NE->E. Not Located. According to O’Sullivan & Sheehan (1996, 101), this ‘section of rock outcrop, sloping upwards to NE, is buried beneath peat.’ The SMR file states that ‘the rock art is located on the S portion of a very large section of rock outcrop. This portion slopes gently down to the S and has a relatively smooth surface.’ Possibly assigned duplicate number KE071-090----, which is c. 25m to N. 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 or landscape features. Cup-and-ring motifs are commonly associated with ceremonial or territorial marking in prehistoric Britain and Ireland.

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