5i8 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



Western Europe of dwellings isolated for protection, stated 

 that Ireland was peculiarly rich in remains of such nature, 

 which were well known by the name of Crannoges. He said, 

 however, that, though much has been written on them, very 

 little was still known with certainty of the people who 

 constructed them, or of the age in which they were most 

 generally used. He also said that our own Club could claim 

 some credit for endeavouring to settle these interesting questions 

 by the systematic examination of the Lough Mourne crannoge. 

 The Rev. Canon then proceeded to refer to a remarkable 

 crannoge that had lately been discovered at Lisnacroghera, 

 near Broughshane, in his own parish. This crannoge has 

 yielded a vast amount of interesting and valuable remains of 

 stone, bronze, iron, and wood. The first of these was repre- 

 sented by a polished stone hatchet or celt, picked up by the 

 Canon himself on the surface of the crannoge. Bronze is 

 represented by vast quantities of objects of various character, 

 several sacksful, it was stated, having been taken away and 

 sold in Ballymena to dealers before their -value became known. 

 Many objects, have, however, been secured, consisting of spears, 

 swords, and personal ornaments. One notable peculiarity, 

 however, in many of them is the combination of bronze and 

 iron in the same article. For example, spear heads with bronze 

 rivets in them, by which they had been affixed to their handles, 

 iron swords in bronze sheaths, and with bronze handle fittings, 

 &c. Perhaps the most valuable relic is a spear handle complete, 

 with a bronze knob on its butt end to the iron tang of the head 

 on the other, measuring in all six feet. This is perhaps the 

 only example of the kind known. Iron tools were also found, 

 and several quaint wooden utensils, the uses of which are not 

 now easily determined. It will thus be seen that the three 

 " ages " — the stone, bronze, and iron — are here blended or 

 obliterated, and rendered valueless so far as chronological order 

 is recognised. Among the wood objects exhibited were the 

 top and bottom of a vessel which once contained bog-butter. 

 Regarding this puzzling material, the reverend lecturer stated 

 that it was found in such quantities in his neighbourhood, that 



