TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. — DEPT. ANTHROPOLOGY. 579 



•small as compared to those of Stonehenge and Avebury. Nine exist in the extreme 

 West of Cornwall, but no avenues are traceable in connection with them, the same 

 fact having been observed of some of the Irish examples ; the Cornish consist generally 

 of nineteen stones. The cromlechs of Cornwall are of the free-standing order, but 

 seem to follow no special rule as to the number of stones composing them. The 

 chambered tumuli and giants' graves do not equal in size the great pyramids of 

 Dowth and New Grange, although of the same general construction. The holed 

 stones of Cornwall, which vary greatly in form and size, have their counterparts in 

 Ireland, Scotland, and France, but the men-an-tol seems unique ; their use is unknown, 

 but in Cornwall and in Ireland they have a reputation as healing agents. From the 

 • difference in shape and size they could hardly have served as doors to dolmens, like 

 the Indian examples, but probably were associated with the God of Healing. Of 

 non-sepulchral monuments the beehive huts form an important part. Several groups 

 exist in Cornwall, apparently identical with the Irish cloughans in Kerry and Arran. 

 The Cornish cliff-castles and Irish raths are both ascribed to the -Danes, but they 

 differ essentially in construction, the Irish rath consisting of earthwork only, whilst 

 the Cornish cliff-castles are three or four circles of unceruented stones heaped 

 together to form walls. The crosses of Cornwall, with few exceptions, seem older and 

 ruder than those of Ireland, and bear no inscriptions in Ogham, although there are 

 on some hieroglyphic markings, but it is noteworthy that the Irish round towers do 

 not appear in Cornwall, although traditions of Irish saints are numerous there. All 

 these monuments are generally ascribed to the Celts, but this is probably an error, 

 since maps showing the distribution of these remains prove that in most countries 

 they follow certain lines, indicating the migrations of different tribes or races. The 

 great cromlechs of Ireland are found chiefly on the coast, and similar groupings occur 

 in almost every country, so that a map of the world wherein these are clearly marked 

 would be a great boon to ethnologists. Two distinct types of skull, the one do- 

 licocephalic, the other brachycepkalic; are found associated with the Irish remains, 

 and although both are assumed to be Celtic, the term seems inapplicable to both. 

 The constructors of similar monuments in India belong to the dark-skinned pre- 

 Aryan stock. Attention to the distribution, position with regard to the cardinal 

 points, and the number of stones forming these monuments, is of considerable im- 

 portance, and also their constant occurrence in bog or waste land. Their position 

 appears to the author to have some connection with the point from which their 

 builders first emigrated, and the rude hieroglyphs on some, to denote the tribal 

 marks or totems of deceased chiefs. 



2. Flint Factories at Portstewart and elsewhere in the North of Ireland. 



By W. J. Knowles. 



Since this subject was brought forward at the Glasgow meeting there have been 

 found at Portstewart, besides additional flint implements and beads, some lumps of 

 porous lava, of the nature of pumice, and a few small flakes of obsidian. The lava 

 is rounded by waterwearing and floats on water, and the flakes or chips of obsidian 

 have bulbs of percussion. It is supposed that these substances are not native pro- 

 ductions, but that the lava, with obsidian attached, may have been carried by currents 

 from a distance, and cast ashore at Portstewart. 



Sandhills near Castlerock, County Londonderry, and at Wbitepark Bay, near 

 Ballintoy, were examined, and similar objects to those found at Portstewart were 

 obtained. At Whitepark Bay, which was the richer of the two, many hundreds of 

 flint implements were found, together with an oval toolstone, bone pins, bored and 

 cut bones, hammer-stones, cores, flakes, broken pottery, broken and split bones, 

 teeth, and shells. Blackish layers representing the ancient surface are to be seen 

 like those at Portstewart. The layers vary from about three to twelve inches in 

 thickness, and the objects are found imbedded in them, except where they are set 

 free by denudation. Twenty or thirty feet of sand protected by close vegetation 

 rests on the layers on some places, while in others the covering is removed, but the 

 layer which is pretty solid and coherent has resisted the action of the wind and still 

 remains. 



p p 2 



