326 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



after wasting the labours of nearly 90 men, for which, the only re- 

 ward I received, except the pleasure of excavating, was the inscribed 

 stone already referred to. 



This stone I have deposited in the Museum of the Academy. It is 

 about 2-J feet long, and about 1 5 inches across the middle, tapering 

 towards either end, and is of the same material as the flags used in 

 the structure, and built in as I have already described, with the in- 

 scribed side downwards. The object for placing it so, no doubt, was 

 to preserve the sculptured symbol or figure which is on the centre of 

 the stone. This is of a very rude character ; its intended significance, 

 whether symbolic or ideographic, I am unable to say, but leave it to 

 those learned in such matters to elucidate. The grooves must have 

 been sculptured out with a very blunt instrument — most probably a 

 flint weapon. The bottom of the grooves are very uneven in conse- 

 quence of the surface of the stone being of unequal hardness, from 

 which I infer that it was by rubbing with the edge of a flint or hard 

 stone weapon the sculptured character was formed. Certainly it does 

 not bear the slightest evidence of having been done by an iron chisel. 

 The grooved lines are from J to -§- an inch deep, and about % an inch, 

 or a little better, broad ; and the longest line is forked at one end. The 

 lines run transversely, but do not form right angles. In consequence 

 of the sculptured lines crossing each other, some antiquarians who 

 have seen it have come to the conclusion that it is a rudely-formed 

 pagan cross. 



The following analysis of this stone was made by the Rev. Pro- 

 fessor Haughton :— 



Per cent. 



Coarse micaceous sand, 80'91 



Alumina and iron peroxide, 1"35 



Carbonate of lime, 16 - 21 



Carbonate of magnesia, 1*53 



100-00 



The barrow, although in external appearance it corresponds with 

 the .British long-barrows, in nearly every other feature is different. 

 Dr. Thurnam says the greater portion of the British barrows are 

 placed with the larger end towards the east, and as I have already 

 stated, the large end of the " Miracles " barrow is towards the 

 west. He further says: — " The simple or unchambered barrows con- 

 sisted merely of earth, chalk, and flints, and along each side of the 

 mound there was a deep trench or ditch ; and in the absence of such it 

 was encircled with large monoliths placed on end; " and the barrows 

 are principally built on high elevations, and in none of tbose features 

 do they resemble the barrow which is the subject of this Paper. 



As far as Ireland is concerned this barrow is unique. I am not 

 aware of any cairn or barrow in this country of the same type. In 

 external form they are generally bowl or disc-shaped, and contain 



