CHAP. II. ANCIENT SWISS LAKE-DWELLINGS. 19 



reach of fiery projectiles, against which thatched roofs and 

 wooden walls could present but a poor defence.' To these 

 circumstances we are probably indebted for the frequent 

 preservation, in the mud around the site of the old settle 

 ments, of the most precious tools and works of art, such as 

 would never have been thrown into the Danish f shell- 

 mounds,' which have been aptly compared to a modern dust- 

 hole. 



Dr. Ferdinand Keller of Zurich has drawn up a series of 

 most instructive memoirs, illustrated with well-executed 

 plates, of the treasures in stone, bronze, and bone brought to 

 light in these subaqueous repositories, and^has given an ideal 

 restoration of part of one of the old villages (see plate 1) ,* 

 such as he conceives may have existed on the Lakes of Zurich 

 and Bienne. In this view, however, he has not simply trusted 

 to his imagination, but has availed himself of a sketch pub 

 lished by M. Dumont d'Urville, of similar habitations of the 

 Papoos in New Guinea in the Bay of Dorei. It is also stated 

 by Dr. Keller, that on the Eiver Limmat, near Zurich, so late 

 as the last century, there were several fishing-huts constructed 

 on this same plan.f It will be remarked, that one of the 

 cabins is represented as circular. That such was the form of 

 many in Switzerland is inferred from the shape of pieces of 

 clay which lined the interior, and which owe their preserva 

 tion apparently to their having been hardened by fire when 

 the village was burnt. In the sketch, some fishing-nets are 

 seen spread out to dry on the wooden platform. The Swiss 

 archaeologist has found abundant evidence of fishing-gear, 

 consisting of pieces of cord, hooks, and stones used as weights. 

 A canoe also is introduced, such as are occasionally met with. 

 One of these, made of the trunk of a single tree, fifty feet long 



* Keller, Pfahlbauten, Antiqua- 1862, Mr. Lubbock has published an 



rische Gresellschaft in Zurich, Bd. xii. excellent account of the works of the 



xiii. 1858-1861. In the fifth number of Swiss writers on their lake-habitations, 

 the Natural History Keview, January 9, f Keller, ibid. Bd. ix. p. 81, note. 



c 2 



