134 Excavations of Lochrutton Crannog. 



jet It consists of a circular centre disc, with two arms. The 

 other two arms are broken off and wanting-. The disc, which 

 measures f of au inch in diameter, is fiat on the faces and rounded 

 on the edg-e, and the arms tapering slightly have the corners 

 rounded off, and terminate with flat pedimental canopies. When 

 complete the cross would measure 1^ inch between the points of 

 the transverse arms. On the face of the cross the disc has been 

 inlaid in the form of a floriated Greek cross, and with small 

 globular circles between the arras ; and a socket marks one of 

 the arms under the canopy. The reverse is plain except the disc, 

 which bears the letters JHC, with a mark of contraction over 

 them. The letter H has an incurving downstroke, and the C is 

 closed. Dr Anderson, to whom the relics were submitted and 

 who kindly advised respecting their character, says, in reference 

 to the cross : " The cross of jet is a very remarkable thing. It 

 must have been of the equal armed form (Greek). The lettering 

 IHC, with the contraction above it, seems to mean that the three 

 letters are to be read as Jesus, although they may also be 

 expanded in the other sense given to them in the middle ages as 

 Jesus Hominum Salvator. But the use of C for S rather favours 

 the view that Jesus is intended." He further says : " It seems 

 to me to be late. I do not find the incurving down stroke of the 

 H before the 12th century. The closed C used here for S is not 

 an early form either." 



Only in one other instance has an article of this description 

 been found in connection with a Scottish lake dwelling. An 

 equal armed cross within a circle and decoi-ated on the face was 

 discovered by Dr Munro at Lochspouts. It is figured and de- 

 scribed in his book. 



To supply as before a descriptive sketch of the Crannog and 

 the excavations carried out by the Society, with the results, is the 

 chief purpose of this paper, but it may be proper before closing to 

 submit briefly a few suggestions regarding the significance of the 

 details recorded. 



The situation of the Crannog in deep water and at the 

 greatest distance from the shore the loch allows is an indication 

 that its primary purpose was to afford security and protection to 

 the occupiers. The existence of the outer intrenched island on 

 the east shore of the loch, which there can hardly be any doubt 

 was associated wnth the Crannog, is a circumstance not met with 



