216 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the Forth and Moray Firths,^ that is, the principal Pictish section of Scotland : 

 there they are commonly known as Picts' houses. In Ireland they are exceed- 

 ingly numerous in Antrim, Down, Cork, Kerry, Clare, and Gal way ; and 

 uumerous in Waterford and Louth, Derry and Tyrone. I believe none, or at 

 any rate very few, are found between tlie rivers Boyne and tlie Slaney ; aiidj 

 taking a line roughly from this area north-west right across Ireland toLeitrim 

 and Mayo, I believe that whole district is practically without them. Can it 

 be that a considerable section of the Irisli in the south-west and north-east, 

 early in the Cluistian era, and the Picts of Scotland were of a common stock ?- 



In addition to the pottery and rough Hints, other implements found in 

 the caves investigated included spindle-whorls (2), stone-hatchet (1), leather- 

 tanner's smoothiiig-stone (1), iron javelin-head (1)^ fragments of querns 

 (several), whetstone (1). Many remains of iron implements were found, but, 

 with the exception of the javelin-head above mentioned, so corroded as to 

 reader it impossible to identify tlieir original form or use. 



It has been urged tliat from the excessive dampness prevailing in the 

 great majority of soulerrains, they could not possibly have been used as 

 dwelling-houses. In their present damp and often Hooded state they certainly 

 could not, as even where the lloors are drained, moisture continually permeates 

 from the exterior. The prevention of this drawback, however, would have 

 been so simple that one can hardly conceive it possible that the souterrain in 

 ancient times was in the least damp. Dr. Munro, in discussing similar 

 structui-es in East Scotland, cites evidence to show that probably surface 

 dwelling-houses or huts were superimposed on the souterrains.' As such 

 houses would naturally have been b>iilt of wattles and mud, no trace of them 

 can now survive, as even the hearth sites have been long since removed in 

 the process of agriculture. Dr. Munro' quotes a passage from Tacitus, describ- 

 ing the manners and customs of some of the German tribes; the passage 

 seems to correspond so exactly to what a contempoi-ary description of an 

 Irish souten-ain would probably have been that I venture to repeat it. He 

 says : " They also dig subterranean caves, and cover them over with a great 

 quantity of dung. These they use as winter retreats and granaries, for they 

 preserve a moderate t^'mperaturc ; and upon an invasion, when the open 

 country is plundered, these recesses remain unviolated, either because the 

 enemy i& ignorant of them, or because he will not trouble himself with the 

 search." 



• ' Munro, •' Prehistoric Scotland," pp. 342, »t »eg. 



'.° ? For.sa Ai:oount of the Picts' hou&es of Scotland, seu Munro, "Prehistoric Scotland," 

 pp. ;ii2. ft 'tij. Also, •'Thu Underj^round Lire," by David MacRitchio ; privately 

 ptinted" Edinburgh. 1S9J. 

 '* "Prehistoric Scotland," pp. 349-50. * it., p. 3d6. 



