Excavations of Loohrutton Crannog. 135 



elsewhere. The two evidently stand one to the othei- in the 

 relation of the Base-court and the Citadel of a Mote. 



At this stage it may be noted that the peninsula or outer 

 island yielded no relics in the interior, but teeth of animals are 

 plentiful along- the water's edge, and in the substance of the 

 artificial rampart already described were found fragments of 

 bone, deer's horn, glass slag, and nondescript iron or iron slag. 

 Teeth of animals have also been observed on the natural island 

 near the west shore of the loch. 



The Crannog itself is of a type which is common, and there 

 is nothing exceptional in the structural details it exhibits. The 

 work exhibits judgment in the selection of materials adapted to 

 the circumstances, such as admitted of being grouped on the 

 shore and transported over the water, self carrying being pre- 

 ferred ; and the disposition and method of securing- the pieces in 

 the structure is skilfully worked out. The carpentrj^ shows some 

 advance and the use of the more common tools of the craft. 



The use of sharp-edged carpenter's tools of itself establishes 

 the circumstance that the crannog does not date back to the 

 stone or bronze ages, and the character of the relics found on it 

 indicate an occupation comparatively modern. No evidence has 

 been discovered bearing on the comparative age of the Crannog 

 and of the occupation. So far as this partial exploration shows, 

 the relics in this case differ from those of the more prolific lake 

 ■dwellings examined, inasmuch as no stone (except only one disc) 

 or bronze implements, or implements of bone have been re- 

 covered, and ancient pottery is also absent. The pottery, how- 

 ever, which is usually not plentiful, is here the most abundant 

 and characteristic of the finds. Dr Anderson considers that the 

 general aspect of the finds as a whole is medifeval, and the 

 pottery is almost all of the fabric accustomed to be classed as 

 11th to 16th century. 



Occupation appears to have been continuous, and to have 

 extended over a considerable space of time. The occupants con- 

 sisted of a family, who, judging by the plentiful and varied food 

 refuse and the abundant and, it may be said, elegant table service 

 of pottery, deserve in all circumstances to be described as 

 o[)ulent ; and the cross recovered seems to show that they were 

 of the Christian faith. This is the residence and strong-hold of 



