DiveUing Phices of Prehistoric Man 45 



with a draught to reinove the smoke of the fire at the upper end, 

 or else where the souterrains are on a horizontal level one or more 

 ventilators will be found at the opposite end from the fireplace to 

 achieve the same result. Knock Dhu is i fine example (jf the 

 latter ; others are Rathmullan, Tyrella, Audleystown, and a num- 

 ber of others. 



It has been argued that souterrains could not have been 

 dwelling places owing to dampness and want of ventilation. With 

 this I cannot agree. They were all ventilated with considerable 

 skill, either by being constructed on a steep incline with openings 

 at each end, or by skilfully constructed ventilating shafts. The 

 articles found are all of the domestic sort. In addition to the re- 

 mains found in the three souterrains described, I investigated one 

 of the crude type I have described as the Co. Antrim type, though 

 situated in the townland of Cross, near Kilcoo, Co. Down. It was 

 a very imperfect example, almost completely destroyed. In this 

 we found hearth remains, a few cooked bone remains, one or two 

 small fragments of pot, a quern stone and a spindle whorl. The 

 quern stone I could not bring with me at the time ; when I went 

 later for it it had been sold to a dealer. The investigation was so 

 difficult that I did not proceed further. 



Dr. D'Evelyn's excavations produced results similar to mine, 

 and in one souterrain he dug up two bone combs of the usual 

 crannog type. I have never heard of any article of intrinsic value 

 having been found in a souterrain ; anything so far recorded has 

 been of a type which might naturally have been the domestic 

 requirements of the humbler classes. The question naturally 

 arises — of what period ? We know that souterrains continued to 

 be occupied more or less up to the 14th century. When did they 

 begin to be the houses of the people ? I would suggest at latest 

 the 4th to the 7th century. I am afraid the data to go upon for this 

 are, so far, meagre. Indeed, it is only the fact that in some rare 

 cases ogham gravestones have been found utilised without venera- 

 tion as common roofing stones. In, so far as I know, only one 

 case can the oghan) inscription be actually dated. I refer to the 

 celebrated find at Connor by the Rev. Mr. Carmody, where the 



