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Standing stone in Carrowreagh OR Craignacally

Standing stone

What is recorded here

Carrowreagh holds a tall stone beside a weathered rock slab carved with cup-and-ring marks, linking human presence to the older bogland. The standing stone rises near a low wall where eight more decorated stones have appeared, suggesting a forgotten place of marking rather than a single isolated monument. People may have gathered there to read the rings, drop offerings into the cups, or simply watch the sky tilt above the slope.
Described by Van Hoek in 1988 as 'This rock (DG003-007----) has now been located. It is not covered (as was suggested by Van Hoek, 1987a), but the inscriptions are very much weathered. The rock lies a few metres to the W of the nearby standing stone (DG003-020) (Van Hoek 1987a, fig. 2) and is a large slab projecting northwards from an old low wall; it slopes 15 degrees SE. On it are the two cup-and-ring devices previously reported, plus three extra cupmarks. In the vicinity of DON 10 (DG003-007-) have come to light eight further decorated stones (DON 10A to 10H)' (Van Hoek 1988, 46). Van Hoek, M.A. M. (1988) 'The prehistoric rock art of County Donegal (part II)' UJA vol. 51, 21-48. Situated in rushy bogland this is the site of a possible standing stone (H 0.9m; base wth 1.3m; top Wth 0.96m; T 0.18m) which does not display the characteristic features of a standing stone and would suggest that this may be natural and not an archaeological monument. However its close proximity to a panel of rock art (DG003-007-) located 28m to the NW may suggest that this stone is of prehistoric date.
Likely dating to the Bronze Age, the standing stone may have had ritual or territorial significance. Weathered inscriptions suggest possible symbolic or commemorative use, though their exact meaning remains unclear.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What survives
Recorded monument

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