Recent Archceological Explorations in Co. Sligo. 49 



circles and a central dot, a symbol that has been carved on the 

 rocks all over Europe. Bhavini, the wife of Mahadeo, is sup- 

 posed to represent the feminine principle in nature. Some 

 light may be thrown on European rock-markings by noting 

 the symbolic meanings held in India concerning them. 



A cave dwelling situated a little to the north of the last cashel, 

 55 feet in length, was next described. It divides in the centre 

 into two chambers, and is from nine to ten feet high and five feet 

 wide. At the entrance to this cave the remains of an ancient 

 hearth was found, and in the midden adjoining, at a depth of 

 two feet, a quantity of bones, and a small bronze buckle, carved 

 on one side, were found. 



A description of the townland of Cams was next given, and 

 a map, enlarged from the six-inch Ordnance Survey, was shown, 

 with the various places of antiquarian interest drawn to scale. 

 First, the two huge cairns, situated in a most commanding 

 position on the high ground overlooking the town of Sligo. 

 Next, the outlines and remains of three cashels were described, 

 varying from 60 to 80 feet in internal diameter, with walls from 

 eight to ten feet in thickness. The wall of one, which is ten 

 feet in thickness, stands to a height of about three to four feet 

 Two of them have the remains of souterrains or cryptic struc- 

 tures, and one has the remains of two encircling concentric 

 walls, thus showing another type of cashel. The most impor- 

 tant feature to archaeologists are the alignments extending 

 across the hill and parallel to the cashels. A transverse align- 

 ment extends up the hill to the cairn of Ton-na-fhoble, a 

 distance of about three-fourths of a mile. In some parts of this 

 alignment the stones are deeply embedded in the ground, and 

 in some places they disappear, but it. can be traced till it reaches 

 the cairn on its southern side, at a point where there appears to 

 be an entrance into it. There are three almost parallel lines of 

 stones stretching across the hill, slightly converging at the 

 western side. The length varies from 500 to 600 yards ; they 

 run in a line almost due east and west. The distance between 

 the most southern line and the next one is about 100 yards, 

 and the distance from the central line to the more northern one 



