On the Ancient Lake Habitations of Switzerland. 1 73 



also used to assist in cutting down the trees in the first in- 

 stance, and the timber has all been split by means of wedges. 



After the necessary rows of piles had been driven, these 

 were strengthened by cross-beams, which supported the wooden 

 platform upon which the huts were constructed. These cabins 

 were mostly circular in form. A singular evidence of this is 

 derived from the discovery of curved pieces of clay, with which 

 the interior had been plastered. 



Their preservation is due to the hardening action of the 

 fires within the hut, and also to the ultimate destruction of 

 the settlement by a conflagration. These pieces of burnt clay 

 also bear the impression of interlaced twigs upon their outer 

 surface, thus indicating that the walls were constructed of 

 " wattle" lined with clay. 



Portions, apparently, of the thatched roofs are also not 

 uncommon. In Prof. Keller's restorations both round and 

 square huts are represented, similar forms of cabins being in 

 use among the papoos of New Guinea at the present day.* 



Some of these pile-works were of very considerable extent. 

 For example, the settlement at Morges, on the Lake of Geneva, 

 was 1200 feet long and 150 broad, thus giving a surface of 

 1 80,000 square feet. At Wangen alone, on the Lake of Constance, 

 M. Lohle has estimated that 40,000 piles were employed, pro- 

 bably representing the labours of several generations. M. 

 Troyon and others have made several calculations, with a view 

 to ascertain the probable population of these villages. Thus 

 estimating the cabins at fifteen feet in diameter, f and allowing 

 half the area of the platform for gangways between the dwell- 

 ings, it would give for Morges 311 cabins, which, at four per- 

 sons for each cabin, would give a population for the settlement 

 of 1244 : whilst for the settlements upon the Lake of NeucMtcl 

 it would give a population of about 5000. 



These lake dwellings are most admirably separated chrono- 

 logically by the remains of works of art included in the mud 

 around the pile-works. 



The earliest undoubtedly belong to the Stone age (as it has 

 been named), when metals of any kind were wholly unknown, 

 all the weapons found being made either of stone or of the 

 bones and horns of animals. To this epoch belong Wauwyl 

 and Robenhausen, on Lake Pfefiikon, Wangen, on Lake Con- 

 stance, and the settlement of Moosseedorf. 



* Dumont d'Urville, " Voyage de l'Astrolabe." Paris, 1833. Tome IV., p. 607. 



• , • , ^"N 



t Hero again the pieces of burnt clay have done good service, / \ 



for the smallest segment, if only sufficient to indicate the curve, ' -15.F.T- — \ 



will give the size of the circle with certainty. u \ J 



