Rock Art, GORTBRACK

Rock Art in Ireland, dating from the Bronze Age

In low lying blanket bog and heath (59m OD), at the base of a short S-facing slope, at the base of the Blackwater River valley. The intended views of the surrounding mountains are obscured by forestry to SW, SE and NE. This is a slightly rough and unfractured earthfast sandstone boulder (3.05m NE-SW; 2.1m NW-SE; H 0.85m at NW) which has a subrectangular decorated surface (1.6m NE-SW; 0.45m NW-SE) that is convex and NW-facing. The decorated surface bears seven motifs including a cluster of three inverted cupmarks (overall dims. 15cm NE-SW; 10cm NW-SE) arranged in a triangular format are located off-centre to SW. This cluster consists of two well-preserved inverted cupmarks (dims. 5cm x 4.5cm) which are egg-like and a third similar, yet very weathered example that may have been damaged by freeze-thaw action. These inverted cupmarks are each defined by a deeply incised circular margin (Wth 1.5cm; D 9mm). It is feasible that the inverted cupmarks are mimicking two natural erosion features toward the base of the stone. A radial groove (L 10cm; Wth 1.5cm; D 4mm) extends from the SW most of these cupmarks at SSE. A regular cupmark (diam. 5cm; D 3mm) is adjacent to the cluster at NE. A meandering groove (overall L 0.9m; Wth 1cm; D 1-2mm) originates from a penannular ring (dims. 9cm x 5cm) at the top of the stone (directly above the cluster) and extends diagonally across the decorated s

Period:
Bronze Age

Coordinates:
51.89°N, 9.79°W

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