290 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



charred wood, some of which has also been forwarded. I may observe 

 that the upright stones in this case were not set in the same direction 

 as those of the former chamber, and that their bearing seems therefore 

 to have been quite arbitrary. 



Along the edge of the covering stone of this second chamber, but' 

 about two ft. distant from it, the larger of the two newly found 

 incised stones had been laid lengthwise resting on the clay, and under 

 it he found the smaller one. The space between the covering slab 

 and the larger incised stone was covered by a moveable slab, probably 

 affording a means of entrance, the entire upper surface being only 

 about one ft. below the sod of the mound. As Mr. Cogan's workman 

 had struck some stone with his crowbar about the same depth below 

 the surface, close to the excavated place, I suggested that he should 

 dig more in that direction, which he promised me he would do. 



Having gone again to Monataggart I found that this promised 

 excavation had been made. The result of this was that I found 

 that an area had been opened in the direction of the horizontal 

 depth of the chamber just described, extending in a southerly direc- 

 tion some ten ft. The depth was about six ft. (corresponding to Mr. 

 Cogan's previous statement), the walls being formed of compacted 

 clay, and the breadth the same as that of the covered part already 

 described. On each side of this area there stood opposite one another, 

 at intervals of about four ft., two pillars or slabs not marked with any 

 inscriptions,^ standing against the walls of the opened area, evidently 

 intended to support covering stones like the former. These, however, 

 were not found, having been doubtless removed on some previous 

 occasion. They were probably removed for building purposes, some 

 evidence of their existence having been afforded by the removal of the 

 6od, or because they had interfered with the plough, when the field 

 was tilled. The excavation had been carried as far as the earth was 

 found to be loose, and I have no doubt that the end of this chamber 

 has been reached. It must have been ten or twelve ft. long alto- 

 gether, and from four to five ft. wide. Mr. Cogan informed me that 

 he found traces of charred wood throughout, and at the farther end 

 appearances of smoke ; and he thinks there must have been some kind 

 of aperture or flue. The incised stones, having been pointed at one 

 end, and having butts at the other, were plainly intended to have 

 been set upright, and could not have been in their original position. 

 They were probably brought to this place as being suited to the con- 

 struction of these subterranean chambers, and found at some con- 

 venient distance. 



As to the purpose for which these chambers were constructed, I 

 think it clear they were not intended for burial, but were evidently 



* On one of these, subsequently raised, I find that there is an inscription extend- 

 ing about twenty inches, midway from each end of the stone. The incisions are for 

 the most part legible, but so shallow and injured that I have found it impossible to 

 take a satisfactory impression. 



