LUBBOCK ON THE ANCIENT LAKE HABITATIONS OF SWITZEELAND. 31 



destruction ; so that we need not be surprised to find that most of 

 the Swiss Lake-habitations appear to have been destroyed by lire. 

 Though, however, these latter resemble the Irish Crannoges in their 

 position and use, they differ considerably from them in their construc- 

 tion. In one or two places, indeed, as for instance at the Steinberg, 

 in the Lake of Bienne, it is possible that an island may have been 

 formed, the bottom of the lake having been artificially raised. It is curi- 

 ous that a canoe laden with stones, was actually found near this spot, 

 it having, apparently, sunk with its load, at the time whenthe Steinberg 

 was in process of construction. After all, however, it seems probable 

 that even in this case, the object was only to obtain a firmer founda- 

 tion for the piles. At the present time the highest part is eight feet 

 below the surface of the water, and nothing justifies us in looking 

 back to any such alteration of level. Moreover, even now the piles 

 project two or tln-eefeet above the surface, upon which.therefore, the 

 cabins cannot have been intended to stand. A small island in Lake 

 Inkwyl, however, reproduces almost exactly the Irish Crannoge. 



After having chosen a favourable situation, the first step in the con- 

 struction of the Lake-habitations was to obtain the necessary timber. 

 To cut down a tree with a stone hatchet must have been no slight 

 undertakmg. It is, indeed, most probable that they made use of fire, 

 in the same manner as is done by existing savages in felling trees and 

 making canoes. Burning the wood and then scraping away the charred 

 portion, renders, indeed, the task far more easy, and the men of the 

 Stone period appear to have avoided the use of large trees, except 

 in making their canoes. Their piles were imbedded in the mud 

 for from one to five feet, and must also have projected Jfrom four to 

 six feet above the water level, which cannot have been very different 

 from at present. They must, therefore, have had a length of from 

 1-5 to 30 feet, and they were from 3 to 9 inches in diameter. The 

 pointed extremity which entered into the mud still bears the marks 

 of the fire, and the rude cuts made by the stone hatchets. The piles 

 belonging to the Bronze period being prepared with metal axes, were 

 much more regularly pointed, and the differences between the two 

 have been ingeniously compared to those shown by lead pencils well 

 and badly cut. Dragging the piles to the lake, and fixing them 

 firmly, must have required much labour, especially when their number 

 is considered. At Wangen alone M. Lolile has calculated that 

 40,000 piles have been used ; but we must remember that these were 

 probably not all ]jlanted at one time, nor by one generation. Wangen, 

 indeed, was certainly not built in a day, but was, no doubt, gradually 

 added to as the population increased. Herodotus informs us that 

 the Pceoniaus made the first platform at the pubHc expense, but 

 that subsequently at every marriage (and polygamy was permitted), 

 the bridegroom was expected to add a certain number of piles to the 

 common support. In some localities, as at Eobenhausen, on Lake 

 Pfeffikon, the piles were strengthened by cross beams. The Pile- 

 works of subsequent periods differ little from those of the Stone age, 

 except, perhaps, that they are more solidly constructed. The piles, 



