58 THE BURGH OF MOUSSA. 



Even now some few beehive houses are still occupied in the 



Island of Uig. 



FIG. 79. 



The Burgh of Moussa. 



The celebrated "brochs" or "burghs" which abound in the 

 north of Scotland, as well as in the Orkneys and Shetlands, 

 are of a very peculia.r character. They have been supposed 

 by some to be Scandinavian, but no similar buildings occur 

 in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark. 



Fig. 79 is copied from a photograph of the celebrated 

 Bourg of Moussa, in the Shetlands, the best preserved speci- 

 men of this curious style of architecture. I visited this 

 most interesting building in 1867. It stands close to the 

 sea, on the little Island of Moussa, and may be taken as a 

 typical specimen. They are all circular, about 60 feet in 

 diameter, with walls about 15 feet thick, enclosing a court- 

 yard about 30 feet in diameter. The walls contain a stair- 

 case, which leads to the top of the building, several horizontal 

 galleries, and some small conical chambers, all opening on 

 the inside ; the only external orifice being the door, which is 

 about 7 feet high. 



The absence of trees and abundance of stone probably led 

 to this curious style of architecture. Although, moreover, so 

 archaic in character, these burghs continued in use down to 



