Deane — On Ancient Monuments in Co. Kerry. 103 



ancient tradition handed down the names and uses to those who now 

 occupy the country. 



The general character of the buildings are as follows : — 



Earthen forts, with and without subterranean chambers. 



Tombs. Circular dwellings in groups of trees, with outlying 

 chamber, which was possibly for the dog or other domestic animal ; 

 cells underground connected with circular cells ; chambers beneath the 

 ground containing bones which, when brought to the air, vanish into 

 powder. 



Forts constructed of dry masonry, with chambers in the thickness 

 of the wall. Ditches and Valiums, underground^passages giving access 

 to the open land, outside the fortification. 



The ancient road of Fahan, separated from the surrounding land 

 by stones fixed in the ground. 



With these remains I deal seriatim as far as the investigation 

 hitherto has extended. 



I may also add that the class of structures referred to are not con- 

 fined to the mainland, but that the Islands of the Blasket contain 

 many similar subterranean cells. 



Dtotbeg — The Little Foet. 

 (Plate I.) 



On a cliff or promontory, surrounded on three sides by water, the 

 fourth the mainland, about 200 yards from the old Fahan road, is 

 Dunbeg. Close to the cliff is a well-built wall of large stones, "A" 

 in plan ; removed from the cliff is the circular structure marked " B" 

 round on the exterior, square internally, certainly stone roofed, with 

 entrance and observation chambers. About 20 feet from this building 

 is a massive wall, about 15 feet thick, with chambers and passages. 

 This wall extends from cliff to cliff for a distance of about 240 feet. 

 A reference to the plan shows the chambers, observation holes, and 

 other appliances to protect the entrance door shown on plan. 



On raising a flat stone near the entrance a subterranean passage 

 was discovered, 59 feet long, the roof of flat stones supported on others 

 of massive size, each pair of stones forming the roof, which had 

 circular perforations at intervals for ventilation. My belief is that 

 this passage communicated with the last of the ditches shown on plan, 

 and formed an exit to the open ground outside the lines of fortifications, 

 which are four in number. I have failed to discover this exit, but I 



