560 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



to be a rock, about six inches below the surface of the field. On 

 clearing the stone it proved to be a large granite block forming 

 the cap-stone of a cist, the stones of "which are of unusually large 

 dimensions (see fig. 1). 



The structure is formed of four blocks of schist, the interior measur- 

 ing 5 feet long, the north stone being 7 in. longer. The cist was 2 feet 

 4 inches wide, except at the west end where the irregularity of the 

 south block made a narrow recess 8 inches wider. Its height is on 

 the average 2 feet high, and its floor was paved with small flagstones 

 which had been removed before our visit. The covering stone is a 

 block of even-grained granite of irregular shape rising into a roof -like 

 ridge lying almost due east and west, while the axis of the chamber 

 lies E.S.E. and "W.^.W. The east end has been removed; it varied 

 in width from 1 foot 8 inches to 2 feet 4 inches, and was (like the 

 uncovered ends of the sides) 7 inches or 8 inches thick and 2 feet 

 high (fig. 2). 



<#.«■ 



Fig. 2. 



Before we visited the site, Mr. Sutton had caused the excavations to 

 be filled in, having first collected the bones of the skeleton in a sack, 

 which he placed in the chamber. He kindly reopened it for our 

 inspection. A very intelligent labourer, who had taken part in the 

 original excavation of the chamber, described to us the position of the 

 body when found. We have no reason to doubt but that his description 

 is substantially correct. The body he states lay on its right side, 

 with the head to the west, the legs contracted, the feet being in the 

 north-east corner. No certain information could be obtained as to the 

 position of the hands, except that they were away from the head, and 



