34 Antiquities from the Stewartry. 



selves : narrow in proportion to their length, always tapering 

 evenly towards both ends, which are square cut ; the largest in 

 the collection barely reaches 4 in., and the smallest barely 2 in., 

 the majority being quite small. They are not all of Quartzite ; 

 but even when made of a much softer stone none of them show 

 any signs of use ; they are not hollow in the middle, as one would 

 expect, had tools been sharpened upon them. Dr Anderson sug- 

 gests that the very small quartzite specimens may have been used 

 as touch-stones for gold. The smallest of all is from Uist ; it is 

 under 2 in. in length, it is of a rather soft, dark stone, and, in 

 common with others of the same kind, it has a neatly-drilled 

 round hole at one end. In the Uist specimen there is still a small 

 metal ring attached to the perforated end. Is it not just possible 

 it and its cognates were used as charm stones ? The fact that 

 several other whetstones of an ordinary type, and abraded by 

 use, also have holes at one end, does not militate against my 

 supposition. Sir H. E. Maxwell notes that these very small whet- 

 stones of Quartzite were used in Wigtownshire within living 

 memory to smooth seams in needlework. (Proceedings xxiii., 

 219.) 



Perforated Stone Implemetits. — These are mostly water-worn 

 pebbles pierced through the centre with a drilled hole ; but in one 

 of the two specimens from the Stewartry, AO 24, we meet with 

 an example of peculiar form. It is triangular, the delicately- 

 curved sides measuring 3J in. each, and was probably a true 

 hammer. It is from Balmaclellan, and was presented by Rev. 

 Geo. Murray in 1868. No. 83 shows the common type, a regu- 

 larly oval flattish pebble of sandstone, almost black-gray, 3| in. 

 by 2i in. by 1^ in., with a central perforation f in. wide. 



The one Stone Cup, AQ 64, is an unhandled, rude, thick, un- 

 interesting specimen from Kirk Andrews. It was purchased in 

 1888. Its diameters are 5 J in. by 5 in., and on its outside are a 

 few poorly incised nearly perpendicular lines. These heavy stone 

 cups appear to be mostly of iron age date, or even later ; and 

 judging this imcouth specimen by its clumsy denial of all attempt 

 at either grace or dignity, I should be inclined to place it among 

 the examples of degradation in its special line. 



