62 PREHISTORIC FISHING. 



looms, with a commenced piece of cloth on them, may be seen in the United 

 States National Museum. In these looms a stick serves as a warp- stretcher. 



In various lacustrine stations have been found rings of baked clay, to which 

 the character of net-sinkers is now and then attributed. " These rings," it is 

 stated, with reference to those found at Niclau, " are made of clay mixed with 

 little stones and pieces of charcoal, but they are imperfectly burnt, and very 

 little care has been bestowed upon them ; they vary in external diameter from 

 three and a half to nine and a half inches ; the hole in the middle is from seven 

 lines to two and a half inches wide, and the thickness of the ring itself varies 

 from one inch to upwards of two inches. Various opinions have been expressed 

 as to the use of these rings. The idea that they were net-weights is now aban- 

 doned. It seems now ascertained that they were used as supports for the vessels 

 which either had no base at all, or one so small that they would not stand. 

 There can be no doubt also that they were used in a similar way as supports for 

 pipkins with a conical base when placed on the hearth. Many of these rings 

 have become friable from the action of violent heat, but it is not always 

 certain whether this happened on the hearth or when the settlement was burnt 

 down."* The view that these rings served as supports for vessels seems to me 

 correct, and they belong, as far as I can judge, more properly to the era of 

 lacustrine life when bronze was in use, and during which many vessels with 

 convex or even conical bottoms were made. I have one of these clay rings, 

 which was sent to me, with many other lacustrine relics, by the late Professor 

 Desor. The specimen in question, obtained at Auvernier, Lake of Neuchatel, 

 is rather carelessly made, and answers well the description just given. Even 

 the little stones and pieces of charcoal are not wanting. The ring is not quite 

 four inches in diameter, and the central hole is a little more than an inch and a 

 half wide. It shows no wear indicative of use as a net-sinker, but distinct 

 traces of exposure to fire. On the accompanying label is written by Professor 

 Desor : Bronzezeit. Ring von gebrannter Erde zum Aufstellen der Vasen. 



Yet some of the clay rings actually seem to have been used as net or line- 

 sinkers, as, for instance, the original of Fig. 76 on page 60, which was found in the 

 stone-age settlement of the Lake of Inkwyl.f " This specimen has the furrow 

 still remaining which was worn by the cord. It seems now clear that these smaller 

 rings were net- weights, while most of the larger ones were supports for the 

 conical-footed earthenware vessels. "J The size of the specimen is not mentioned. 

 It is probably double the size of the figure. 



According to Mr. E. Frank, net-sinkers consisting of pieces of pottery with 



* Keller: Lake Dwellings; Vol. I, p. 150. 

 f Ibid. ; Vol. II, Plate XXXIX, Fig. 2. 

 J Ibid. , Vol. I, p. 446. 



