The technique is recognisable: peck or punch marks, the same method used by prehistoric carvers across Ireland and Britain to work designs into stone. The trouble is that no one is confident this carving is actually ancient. Those responsible for documenting it have noted that its antiquity is uncertain, and that it could have been made in recent times.

That ambiguity is, in its own way, the most interesting thing about the site. Genuine prehistoric rock art, of the kind found at Loughcrew in County Meath or at sites across the Boyne Valley, tends to appear on exposed outcrop in upland or liminal landscapes, often with wide views over the surrounding terrain. The Little Sugar Loaf fits that setting convincingly. The summit lies only 200 metres to the north, and the ridge commands panoramic views of the Wicklow countryside. Someone carving here, whether four thousand years ago or last decade, chose a location that would not have looked out of place in a Neolithic context. Whether that reflects deep local memory, deliberate imitation, or pure coincidence is not something the physical evidence can resolve.

The outcrop sits beside a well-worn walking trail, so encountering it requires no particular effort. The spiral itself is small enough to overlook if you are not looking carefully at the rock surface rather than the view.