STAIGUE FORT, KERRY. 



59 



historical times, in fact until the introduction of lime, and 

 the knowledge of the true principle of the arch, enabled the 

 natives to construct buildings of a more modern character ; 

 they are extremely numerous in Caithness, in the Orkneys 

 and the Shetlands ; but this Moussa Burgh is one of the few 

 that are mentioned in history. Torfoeus tells us that about 

 the year 1150 Eiiing carried off the beautiful Margaret, mother 

 of Harold, the then Earl of Orkney, and was besieged in 

 Moussa by Harold, who, however, being unable to take the 

 place, at length thought it politic to consent to the marriage. 

 By far the greater number of the burghs are mere ruins, and 

 the so-called Dun of Dornadilla, supposed to have been erected 

 by the ancient Scotch King of that name, is the only one 

 which is at all as complete as that of Moussa. Whether any 

 of the burghs are referable to the Bronze Age it is impossible 

 to say. It is remarkable, however, that in the Island of Sardinia 

 there are archaic buildings known as " nurhags," which very 

 closely resemble the British burghs. 



FIG. so. 



Staigue Fort. Kerry. 



In a future chapter I shall endeavour to show that Stone- 

 henge and Abury belong to the Bronze Age. Some of the 

 ancient fortifications also probably are of this period, but a 

 large proportion, as for instance the Staigue Fort, in the 

 county of Kerry, fig. 80, belong in all probability to a much 

 later period. 









