Coffey — Prehistoric Cenotaphs. 21 



not this is a ' Blind tope.' As the cutting proeeeclecl, about midway 

 down among the loose stones, were found portions of the skulls, teeth, 

 and other bones of graminivorous animals, probably the ox and deer."* 



We have here a most interesting group of facts. It may be set 

 down as certain that no chambers were contained in the portion of 

 the cairn that had been removed on the south and west sides prior to 

 Conwell's excavations. The stones removed from that part of the 

 cairn were probably used to build the neighbouring fence walls. 

 The large stones round the base have been left untouched, and -vnthin 

 the cleared space there are no signs whatever of large stones such as 

 would have formed the chamber. Had such existed, they would not 

 have been broken up, as the loose stones of the cairn presented plenty 

 of suitable material ready to hand. 



Not only are the large stones at the base still there, but the curve 

 has not been disturbed, the circle of the base is still clearly and 

 regularly marked by them. There is no indication on this curve of 

 an entrance at the cleared side. On the other hand, an entrance is 

 clearly marked on the boundary stones at the east side at a point 

 E. 20, S., which corresponds with the points of entrance to the 

 majority of the chambered cairns. Following up this apparent 

 entrance, not only was no trace of an interment found, but no indica- 

 tion of passage or chamber stones. In the other large cairns the 

 passages and chanibers are formed of large stones, and no attempt at 

 concealment is made. 



It is improbable that any interments exist in the unexplored por- 

 tion of the cairn, and, if any were found, it would be necessary to 

 look on them as secondary interments ; they could in no case be regarded 

 as the primary object for which the cairn was erected. 



We have, then, the case of a cairn which to all outward appear- 

 ance is a chambered cairn, with the entrance properly marked on it at 

 the expected point, precisely similar to cairns "l" and "t," but 

 which proves, on investigation, to be devoid of passage and chamber, 

 to be in fact a blind tomb. In this respect it is, I think, even more 

 conclusive than Willie Howe, as in its outward construction it would 

 appear that a sepulchral purpose is intentionally simulated. 



We may now consider the anthropological evidence. The idea of 

 the cenotaph, we shall find, so far from being artificial, in the sense 

 of modern or advanced civilization, is essentially primitive. It is, 

 in fact, intimately related to the primitive theory of the soul. 



1 " OUamli Fodhla," Cairn " d." 



