What is recorded here

Six cupmarks sit inside a shallow groove on a triangular sandstone ledge above Coomnacronia Lake, while another decorated stone waits fourteen metres west. The marks are small enough to trace with a fingertip, yet they crossed open bog and rough pasture to remain visible. Perhaps a herder, surveyor or wandering maker read that ledge as a page, pressing memory into stone before leaving the valley.

In rough stony pasture, on cutaway bog in the valley of Coomnacronia Lake. The motifs occur on a surface of a roughly triangular earthfast rock (2.8m x 2.4m x 2m). They comprise six single cupmarks (diam. 3-5cm) enclosed by a groove, of which a cluster of three are joined by short grooves. There is another example of rock art (KE071-003001-) c. 14m to the W. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011 Located c. 14m to E of rock art site (KE071-003001-). A smooth and fractured, sandstone rock (dims. 2.60m NNE-SSW; 1.70m ESE-WNW; max. H 0.70m), which has a triangular-shaped decorated surface (dims. 1.20m NNE-SSW; 1.70m ESE-WNW) and a slight S-facing aspect. This stone is very high (H 0.70m) across the N-sector, falling to a flatter area (H 0.15m) to S, bearing the rock art which is weathered yet traceable. There are seven cupmarks (diam. 2.5-5cm; D 3-6mm) across the decorated surface. Six of these are enclosed by an irregular groove (Wth 1cm; D 3mm) SE->W->NW, the higher area of the stone encloses across the N-sector and a natural, stepped fracture completes the E-side. A short, linear groove extends from the enclosing groove at S and there are three pickmarks and a cupmark adjacent to SW. A meandering line of pickmarks (L 77cm; Wth 1.5-2cm; D 3mm) is located 21cm to E and a second similar line of pickmarks (L 32cm; Wth 1cm; D 3mm) is located 75cm to WSW. The latter continues under a thick portion of sod. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 3 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the cupmarked stone may have had ritual or ceremonial significance, possibly linked to water or landscape features. Cupmarks are often associated with symbolic or ritual use, though specific folklore or function in this location is not recorded.

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