354 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



about 2 ft. by 1 ft. 6 in., and 6 in. thick— but especially by evidence of an 

 extensive fire or fires. A layer of charcoal, almost continuous, but of very 

 irregular thickness and intensity, was found over the entire surface ; it was 

 sonietinies jet-black and solid ; and sometimes showed as a dark chocolate 

 stratum on the yellow-brown surface of the earth. On the east and south- 

 east of the standing-stone the layer was fairly uniform, and small pieces of 

 charcoal were frequent ; elsewhere around the stone it occurred in patches 

 as though caused by small separate fires. Nowhere was more than one layer 

 of burning observed. In the trial-pits dug here and there near the circum- 

 ference of the enclosure (the positions of which are marked on the plan), no 

 burnt layer was found; it may be said that the fire was confined to 

 approximately a radius of 50 ft. around the stone. 



Besides this layer of burnt wood-ash, other evidences, such as fragments of 

 Carboniferous Sandstone, with marks of fire, bore witness to the extent and 

 intensity of the conflagration. In spite of careful watching, no trace of human 

 or animal remains, bone or shell, nor any scrap of pottery was found in this 

 burnt stratum. This clearly proved that we had not to deal with camp- or 

 cooking-fires. And indeed it may be said, once for all, that there was no 

 indication of any kind to suggest that the enclosure had ever been used as a 

 temporary or permanent habitation. 



On first coming to the ground we expected to find that the standing- 

 stone was set at least 6 feet to 8 feet deep in the ground, owing to 

 its great «ize and weight, and its conspicuously oblique position. It was a 

 surprise to discover that it was not buried more than 4 ft. ; and still more 

 unexpected to find that a socket had been prepared for it in the surface of 

 the rock. This was an irregular hole about 1 ft. 6 in. deep ; the edges were 

 ragged, as though picked, not crushed as though pounded ; and it is impossible 

 to guess by what means or with what tools the socket had been quarried. 

 The stone had been dropped into the pit, and then wedged up with boulders. 

 (See fig. 12.) 



The total length of the standing-stone was thus about 21 feet, and its 

 weight was rouglily estimated as 12 tons. There was a shoulder near the 

 base similar to that already mentioned at the top. Over the whole of the 

 excavations the rock-surface was reached at a depth ranging from 3 feet 

 to 4 feet. 



The most important discovery was made in erecting the props at the 

 western side of the standing-stone. A large flat flagstone on edge, its top 

 just concealed beneath the surface of the earth, was found. Extending the 

 excavation in this neighbourhood the slab proved to be one of the side-stones 

 of a large cist, which displayed some interesting features. It was formed of 



