Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities ofTara Hill. 151 



the Teach Miodhchuarta, or banqueting house, which is described with a 

 remarkable accuracy as an oblong structure, having its lower end to the north, 

 and higher end to the south, with walls to the east and west. In these walls, 

 according to the prose account, there were twelve or fourteen doors, six or seven 

 on each side ; and it is a curious fact, that there is a difficulty in ascertaining, 

 at the present moment, whether the number was twelve or fourteen. 



15. The next important feature is the Sheskin, or Marsh, of Tara, which is 

 described as lying to the north-west of Teach Miodhchuarta. This spot, though 

 now dry, was a marsh, within the memory of some of the present inhabitants, 

 one of whom, by stopping the well and cutting a drain below it, has changed its 

 ancient character. The ancient name of the well is, however, still preserved, 

 namely, Tobar-Finn. This feature being ascertained, the few which remain 

 were at once identified. 



16. Rath Graine, which, according to the verse and prose, lies west of the 

 Sheskin, on the height of the Hill. 



17. Fothath Rat ha Graine, which, according to the same authorities, lies to 

 the south of the preceding. 



18. The Rath of Caelchu, which, according to the prose, was near the 

 northern head of Long na m-han. 



19 and 20. And lastly, the tvioClaenferts, or declivities. Of these the north- 

 ern was memorable in Irish history for the slaughter of the virgins by the Lage- 

 nians on Saman's day ; and the southern, for a false sentence pronounced there 

 by a king named Lughaidh Mac Con, for which he was afterwards dethroned. 



The remaining important features noticed in these ancient tracts, many of 

 which they describe as being even then nearly effaced, are now totally destroyed. 



It will have been seen that the veracity of these ancient documents has 

 thus been proved, beyond the possibility of rational doubt, by many of the prin- 

 cipal monuments which they describe, and which still remain. And from this 

 light the names of these monuments, which had been lost to tradition for cen- 

 turies, have been restored on the Ordnance Map, where they are likely to be 

 preserved for ever. 



The monuments still existing on the hill of Tara being thus identified from 

 ancient authorities, the next important point is to ascertain the various eras of 

 their origin, as far as they can be determined from historic evidences in con- 



