Coumduff / An Com Dubh

Cross Inscribed Boulder

In the centre of Knockane village there is an area of ground that may have been a Cíllín/Ceallúnach, a childrens graveyard. There are a number of graves that have the appearance of megalithic cists, but are rejected as such by the megalithic survey of Ireland. We were a little confused by the Christian remains at the site, in archaeology.ie the boulder pictured below, is described as a 'Cross-slab inscribed on one face with a cross of arcs, pendant from the lower arm of which is a plain stem. A loop at the right side of the upper arm represents a monogram form of the Chi-Rho symbol' The slab or boulder, as I have described it, must now be lying on its left hand side. The Chi-Rho monogram can now be seen on the upper side of the left arm of the cross and the plain stem sticks out from the right arm. I am not surprised it has rolled over as the boulder would have been top heavy and standing on uneven ground.

This is the third Chi-Rho monogram we have come across on the Dingle Peninsula, the other two can be found at Kilshannig Church and Arraglen ogham stone. The image bottom right shows one of a number of graves present at the site.