Macalister, &c. — Bronze. Age Cams on Carrowkeel. 313 



There the rock shows through the peat only occasionally, though sink-holes 

 are numerous ; one fine open cave-mouth, called Poll na gColum, lies close to 

 one of the groups of earns. Around the edges of the earns, and also where 

 the rock shows through, the peat shrinks back, so to speak, leaving a depression 

 between the heather and the limestone ; in other words, much, if not all, of 

 the peat has grown since the earns were built. In some places, indeed, the 

 peat has crept up the side of the earn (as on the north side of Carn G), or 

 has completely overwhelmed it (as is the case with the ruined Carn L). But 

 in any case the late age of the peat as compared with the earns is evident. 

 This fact helps us to account for the abundance of material used in the con- 

 struction of the cams, and the large choice which was evidently available in 

 the selection of the monoliths used for the chambers. It may be assumed 

 that when the earns were constructed, the summit of the hill was more or 

 less devoid of covering, presenting an appearance similar to that of the bare 

 limestone country of Clare and south-east Galway ; and that from this old 

 surface, heavily strewn with blocks of all sizes, now buried under the peat, the 

 carn-builders were able to select materials suitable to their needs. The 

 growth of peat in the vicinity of the earns has now stopped ; the vegetation 

 consists characteristically of shaggy heath, with hypnums, &c., rather than 

 sphagnums. In consideration of the general acceptance of the view that the 

 " age of peat " is now in most places at a close, the late date of the growth of 

 the peat on these well-drained ridges is of special interest. 



The investigation of the Carrowkeel cams and associated monuments 

 was carried out during three visits in April, June, and October, 1911. On 

 the first occasion we had the advantage of the assistance of Professor 

 Alexander Macalister, m.d., of Cambridge, which was especially opportune 

 in view of the large quantity of human remains that we found. His report 

 on the human remains obtained during all three visits appears as a section 

 of the present paper. 



The greater number of the earns are situated on the land of Mr. E. S. S. 

 Gardiner, j.p., and our best thanks are due to him, not only for granting 

 permission to excavate, but for rendering valuable assistance in many different 

 ways. "We desire also to thank the Misses ffolliott, of Hollybrook House, and 

 Mr. Richard Gorman, for permission to open cams situated upon their land. 

 Mr. W. A. Green, of Belfast, very kindly came down with us on our second 

 visit, and many of his excellent photographs are used for illusti'ating this 

 paper. Portion of the expense of the work was borne by the Eoyal Irish 

 Academy, whose generous assistance we would here also gratefully 

 acknowledge. Our thanks are also due to the Director of the National 

 Museum for assistance in the matter of transport and other facilities. 



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