1216 REPORT—1885. 
7. On the Modes of Grinding and Drying Corn in old times. 
By Miss Jeanie M. Larne. 
In the lands of Tillyfour, in Aberdeenshire, are the ruins of an old hamlet, with 
straw kiln attached. Those kilns were used for drying corn before sending it to 
the mill. The kiln was conical in shape, joists called cabers were laid across, some 
distance from the ground. Above these were roughly hewn saplings called 
simmers. On top of these was spread straw, and on the straw was laid the corn. 
A fire was kindled on the ground, and the heat ascending, dried the corn. A stone 
called a sparker was placed above the fire, to catch the sparks. In spite of this 
precaution, the kiln sometimes took fire. When dry, the corn was put into a 
place called a ‘dry corn bed.’ When quite cool it was ‘riddled’ and sent to the 
mill. At an earlier period corn was ground between two millstones, with an iron 
rod by way ofa handle, This primitive ‘ mill’ was called a quern, and was gene- 
rally turned by two females, as in Eastern lands, In later times querns were used 
for grinding malt. Straw kilns have not been in use in Aberdeenshire for nearly 
a century. 
8. The Flint-knappers’ Art in Albania. By A. J. Evans. 
The author exhibited some Albanian gun-flints and strike-a-lights, partially cased 
in ornamental lead sheaths studded with glass gems, and described the method now 
adopted by the Albanian flint-knappers for producing these highly finished imple- 
ments. The flints were obtained from a range of hills distant about two hours 
from Joannina, and were mostly of tabular shape, scattered in profusion about the 
summit of a limestone plateau, but there were no signs of their having been used 
for manufacture in ancient times, nor have any flint implements of prehistoric 
date been found either in Epirus or Albania, though several polished stone axes of 
diorite and other materials have come to light. At present the chief site of flint- 
knapping industry is Valona and its neighbourhood, and in this case the flints are 
collected on the Acroceraunian mountains. 
9. The Discovery of Naukratis. By W.M. Frtnvers Perrier. 
The work of the Egypt Exploration Fund which I have carried on in the first 
half of this year has brought to light the remains of the city of Naukratis, the great 
emporium of the archaic Greeks in Egypt. Though often sought for by travellers, 
no proof of its position had been obtained until I visited the mounds of Nebireh, 
about five miles from Teh el Barid station on the Cairo and Alexandria Railway. 
No archeologist had seen the place before, and I only heard of it by inquiring of 
Arab dealers, Here I found a decree of the city of Naukratis, a coin of that city 
of an unknown type, and innumerable remains of the archaic period which agree 
closely with the historical accounts of the place. 
Omitting all questions which relate only to art and architecture, we will briefly 
note the results which are of more general and scientific interest. 
Naukratis was essentially a commercial and manufacturing centre of the 
Mediterranean trade during the early Greek period. The commerce is repeatedly 
mentioned by historians, and is amply proved by the great number of ancient 
weights of the different standards that are found: in six months my collection of 
weights rose to four times the whole number of Egyptian weights yet known and 
published, and double the number of Babylonian, while the Attic weights are 
about half the number yet known from Greece and other countries, The manu- 
facturing importance of the place is shown by the various trades of which the 
remains were found. Ironworks flourished here as early as the middle of the 
sixth century B.c.—quantities of ore, of slag, and of finished tools of various 
kinds show this. Copper was also worked, the ore, slag, and finished objects 
remaining here. A silversmith’s store of dumps of melted silver and early Greek 
coins yet unmelted was also found. Potteries existed on a large scale; the kilns 
