360 Proceedings of the Ro;ial Irish Academij. 



the slamling-stoue was roUea. Most of the material would be iu the neigh- 

 hourhoodorthe stone, where the plane w^as highest; and hence the earth 

 rises in the centre of the enclosure. This last fact is also to be partly 

 accounted for by the outer edge of the enclosure being to some extent 

 scooped away to supply material for the inner face of the vallum. 



(4) Wliat is the purpose of the enclosure ? It is not residential : it marks a 

 burial : it contains nothing but the burial. On the other hand, it is not a 

 common cemetery. We suggested it is probably a sanctuary, marking the 

 place which was sacred to the shade of some man of importance. 



Thus, the excavation of Longstone Eath has proved — 



(1) Tliat certain of the Irish ring-forts are sepulchral, not residential : 



(2) That some of them belong to the Bronze Age : 



(3) That the Bronze-age burial-ritual, as practised on this occasion, included 

 («) the lighting of a great fire, to be seen over a wide area — a possible reason 

 for the frequently observed burials on hill-tops ; (&) the burning of the body ; 

 (c) the building of a cist; (f^) the erection of a pillar-stone ; and {e) the 

 drawing of an enclosure round it : 



(4) That some modern superstitions may have their roots in the Bronze Age. 



The pillar-stone, which forms the most striking feature of the monu- 

 ment, we believe to have been a glacial erratic, although its slenderness 

 relative to its length is unusual in erratic blocks. All its edges are much 

 rounded, and its faces equally weathered. The site of the monument was 

 perhaps chosen owing to the proximity of the beautiful stranded block to the 

 crest of a commanding eminence. Erratic blocks of granite appear to be rare 

 in ihe neighbourhood ; but two pillar-stones of similar dimensions, also of 

 granite, stand only a few miles away, in the neighbourhood of Punchestown. 



Of the history of the district there is not much known relevant to our pre- 

 sent purpose. The name "Furness" is a quite modern corruption of Fornoclita, 

 a name better preserved by the adjacent townland of " Porenaughts." Here 

 there seems to have been a royal residence in early times, as a personage 

 called Dunlaug, of Fornochta, " a generous prince who routed battles against 

 the sons of Niall," is referred to in the old Irish poem recently edited by 

 Professor Kuno Meyer under the title "Hail Brigid." A "Fornocht" is 

 referred to in the Eenues Dinnshenchas (Eevue Celtique, xv. 327). 



In closing, we have to express om- gratitude to Mr. Nicholas Synnott, the 

 owner of the property on which this interesting monument is situated, for 

 allowing us to undertake the excavation ; and both to him and to Mrs. Synnott, 

 for the valuable assistance and many kindnesses which they rendered to us 

 duriugr the work. 



