52 The Sepulchral Structures and 



Irish, it was inferred that cremation in Ireland was attended 

 with similar ceremonies. The burial of Patroclus was referred 

 to as an illustration of the ancient ceremonial, the oldest record 

 of cremation extant. The mode of burial varied in Ireland at 

 different periods. One of the most ancient was to make a hol- 

 low pit in the ground, in which the body was laid, rolled in a 

 garment called a rochull. Dr. Keating describes it thus : — They 

 used to make a fort in the earth corresponding in length and 

 breadth with the corpse. They then deposited the corpse 

 therein, with the soles of the feet turned to the east, and the 

 crown ofthe head to the west, and put stones over it, forming what 

 was called a leacht. Dr. Sullivan says the word " leacht " seems 

 to have been a general term applied to stone sepulchral monu- 

 ments, consisting either of unfashioned stones of every size, 

 piled up over a simple grave, or over an Indeith Cloich, or 

 stone chamber, or of a number of large upright flags, upon 

 which was placed a great block of stone. The latter kind of 

 leacht is the monument popularly known as a cromlech. A 

 simple flag marking a grave was called a leac. Dr. Sullivan 

 says further, when a number of persons were buried beside each 

 other, their leaca were placed in a circle around their graves. 

 Similar circles of leaca, or upright flags, were put around the 

 leachts, formed of piles of stones. This explains the origin of 

 stone circles, and also of the standing stones placed around 

 mounds and cairns similar to those shown around New Grange. 

 Those who died of the plague were buried in what was called 

 a Mur. These were well known, and could not be opened for 

 several years. The Mur was constructed of dry masonry not 

 less than two feet high, which covered the whole grave, and 

 where stones could not be obtained a similar block was built of 

 square sods over the grave. So late as 1847 it is said some of 

 those who died of famine-fever in Ireland had their graves 

 covered with a Mur, as an indication that it should not be 

 opened for a long period. The construction of cairns, kistvaens, 

 cromlechs, and other ancient monuments were minutely 

 described, and a great many photographic views of the finest 



