Woop-Martin—On a Crannog Site in Co. Meath. 483 
had almost disappeared ; but on examining the sides of the bog-holes 
he observed the layer cropping out. With the sample thus obtained 
we have to do. 
Almost all the remains were carbonized; the majority seem 
(according to Professor Perceval Wright) to belong to a barley of 
the same small size as found in Swiss lacustrine sites (Hordeum 
hexastichum densum, and H. hexastichum sanctum). There were, how- 
ever, in addition (apparently not carbonized) a few fruits of one of 
the Docks (Rumex). These may have got into the debris accidentally, 
or they may have withstood the effect of time. Stones of some small 
fruit, like those of sloes and cherries, also showed no traces of fire. 
Pliny states that the sweet cherry was first introduced into Europe 
from Pontus by Lucullus; that in about a century it had spread as 
far as Britain. Traces of carbonized oats, shells of the hazel or oak- 
nuts (it is sometimes not easy to distinguish between them) were met 
with in abundance. 
Some of the grain is very small, not larger than the hayseeds now 
grown by farmers—not for their seeds, but to be consumed as hay. 
“This, to my mind,” adds Mr. Smith, ‘‘ shows how much our crops 
have been improved by cultivation.’’ In this respect the “find ”’ 
may be useful. I cannot quit the subject without drawing your 
attention to a quotation from the Annals of the Four Masters, under 
the year 1031, relative to the price of food in former times :—‘ A 
sesedh* of oaten grain; or a third of a measure of black-red sloes; 
or of the acorn of the brown oak; or of the nuts of the fair hazel 
hedge, was got without much bargaining at <Ard-macha for one 
penny.” 
The reason I quote this is, that remains of all these were found 
on the site of the erannog. Out of the bog-holes encircling it 
have from time to time been thrown an astonishing quantity of bones 
of cattle, sheep, &e. All the larger bones were, as is usual in lacus- 
trine middens, much broken, and in the spot marked K, being pro- 
bably the site of the kitchen-midden, or refuse heap, the largest 
supply was procured. 
Some objects of antiquarian interest have been turned up during 
the process of turf-cutting. In 1885 a man named Cole, while 
engaged in this occupation near ‘‘the island”’ (as the country people 
still call the crannog), was severely wounded in the naked foot by 
some object concealed in the peat. He stooped down and pulled 
‘‘ something like a dagger” out of the bank, and with an oath flung 
1“¢Grain found on Swiss Lacustrine sites,’’ observes Dr. Uhlmann, ‘was 
often only slightly burnt; this was more especially striking in the case of the 
larger grained barley. From this we may conclude that a large proportion of the 
corn had been intentionally roasted and stored for food. This agrees with several 
facts recorded of the inhabitants of Palestine.’”’—Leviticus, ii. 14; xxiii. 14; 
Ruth, ii. 14; Samuel, xvii. 17. Lake Dwellings of Switzerland (Keller), 2nd. ed., 
p. 190. 
R.I,A. PROC., SER. II., VOL. Il.—POL. LIT. AND ANTIQ. a) (GF 
