WnSTRopp — The Fort of Dun Aengnsa in Inishmorc, Aran. 31 



1878, to both sides of the gateway.' Tlie rampart is 18 feet 6 inches thick 

 here," 12 feet 6 inches thick farther south, ami 14 feet 2 inches to the 

 north-east. 



There are two terraces, such as we find at Ballykinvarga and other 

 forts,' running round the interior ; the lower is 4 feet to 5 feet high to the 

 east, 6 feet to 7 feet to the west, the upper 4 feet to 5 feet high ; they vary 

 greatly in width, being usually 4 feet to 5 feet wide, but 7 feet 9 inches 

 wide at one point. The upper was noted by O'Donovan in 18.39 ; there was 

 some trace of it even in 1878 ; the lower was noted by Ferguson in 1853. 

 Two "ladder-flights " of steps run up the two terraces at oj feet to the south 

 of the entrance : the type is common in Aran and Clare ; the other, or 

 " sidelong flight," being more common in Galway, Mayo, and Kerry, though 

 not unknown in the former districts. The flights are each nearly 4 feet 

 wide, and are of five and six slightly projecting steps. Northward, at 9 feet 



3 inches from the gateway, is a flight of five " ladder-steps," 4 feet wide, 

 and 2 feet 4 inches deep in all, up to the lower terrace ; it is mentioned by 

 Ferguson ; 27 feet farther northward is an upward flight of six steps, 3 feet 



4 inches wide ; the lower terrace is broadest at this place. The north-west 

 stair is 61 feet farther round the terrace, consisting of two sidelong flights,* 

 eight steps in the lower, and six in the upper; all are reset, but they are 

 marked on Petrie's plan, and there were "slopes" in 1578, with some trace 

 of a terrace. The whole double flight is 12J feet long. At the foot is the 

 oft-mentioned ope in the lower wall ; it is a low, lintelled passage, ending in 

 loose filling, and is 3 feet 10 inches high, 33 inches wide, and over 6 feet 

 deep, with four lintels, the outer being 2 inches thick ; it is 80 feet from the 

 pier of the main entrance ; there are no other features seaward. 



' The south side of the inuef passage appears to have been standing when Burton sketched the 

 doorway, and at least the lower part on tlie north remained in IS78 ; the sketch at tliat date tallies 

 wiih nearly all the existing stonework aliove tlie door up to the present summit, but part has been 

 added to the ends at the terraces. 



-Not 15 feet a inches, and 13 feet on top, as in Petrie's " Military Architecture." 



^ Though rare outside ol' Ireland, terraces are found at Tre-ceiri in Wales ; Worlebury (Somerset) 

 in England — -where there were six sections rising as terraces, each about 4 feet liigher than the next 

 lower. Dr. Cliristisou implies that some are extant in Scotland. Dr. Giiebhard illustrati'S (from 

 " Monuments primitivis des Baleares," E. Cart;iilhac) terraced stone forts in Majorca and Minorca. 

 There are probable examples in France, at Eaou dc la Grande (.-ilpes -Maritimes), and an apparent 

 terrace at Cidada Vellia de Santa Lnzia in Portugal, all in primitive structures closely comparable to 

 Irish cathairs. 



' This type is, perhaps, the later, as occurring in the very advanced and elaborate forts of 

 Staigue and Caluigil, in Kerry. It is also found in Moneygashel, Sligo ; Cahergel, Galway ; 

 Caherahoagh and Cahergrillaun, in Clare. The examples in Aran, save at Dun Aengusa, are 

 umecorded before tlie works of 1884 ; but some may be true restorations, as we noted the sloping 

 marks of unrestoied flights in the Black Firt. There is also a record of a very early 

 flight of " sidelong steps " in the fort of Erimokastro, in Rhodes. (" Eevue Aitheologique," N. S., 

 vol. xviii. (1SS6), p. lo6). 



