Westropp — Cists, Dolmens, and Pillars of Co. Clare. 453 



regularity, the covers often seem to have been chosen for the opposite 

 reason, namely, for grotesque outline, curious channels, "footprints," 

 and other strange markings. 



We can barely notice the curious slabs, like rude figures, or the 

 very early crosses on Skellig Rock and other early monasteries. 

 That at Coolnatullagh is very small, and stands inside the cist. We 

 cannot learn how that at Eallymihil formerly stood, but it has been 

 set in a rude pier upon the cover of the dolmen since its collapse. 



Basins are also found : small ones in the cover of the great " Labba" 

 of Bally ganner Hill and a slab within the annexe of that at Cappagh- 

 kennedy ; other and larger basins in sandstone blocks at the dolmens 

 of I^ewgrove and Kiltanon. 



Ant(e and Doors. — " Antse," as Borlase calls them, are formed by 

 setting back the end-slabs, and leaving the ends of the sides projecting. 

 They seem to have "descendants" in the true antae of the early 

 oratories and even of the later churches down to the tenth century. 

 They are well marked in the dolmens of Ballyganner Hill, Berneens 

 (W.), the White Labba of Cragballyconoal, Poulaphuca, Commons, 

 Parknabinnia (iii. and vii.), and Gleninshen, and give a peculiar interest 

 to these tombs, which, with the overhanging *' beetle-browed covers," 

 are strikingly like the dolmens of Portugal, Spain, and Corsica.^ In 

 the first country they are called " antas," it is believed from this 

 feature. A sort of doorway also occurs in the Clare "labbas," as at 

 Gleninshin, Parknabinnia (vi.), and Ballyganner, where the west end- 

 slab does not fill the whole space, but leaves an ope, once closed by a 

 slab which remains in the first-named cist, merely forced outward. 

 Borlase regards the antae as intended to give the appearance of shrines 

 to the tombs ; but we must bear in mind that Parknabinnia (vi.) was, 

 from the first, buried deeply in a cairn which was only removed since 

 1839, and the "White Labba " was probably buried in a mound. 



Modern Examples. — It is interesting to note, if only for a single 

 district, how remarkably the later forms of monument reproduce the 

 earliest types. The simple cist passes without a break from the rude 

 slab-kerbed graves (sometimes covered), such as we find at Kilcameen,- 



1 He produces from the works of Cartailhac and Merimee several striking 

 equivalents in Portugal and Corsica (" Dolmens," vol. ii., pp. 637, 657-665). 



2 Near Caherniinaun fort. It has two cists of slabs set on edge — the northern 

 7 ft. 3 ins. by 4 ft. 7 ins.; the southern adjoining is 3 ft. 6 ins. by 8 ft., with a 

 western extension 7 ft. long (side, h\ ft.). The M'hole in a kerbed mound 14 ft. 

 square, with small pillars to the east. For plan, see p. 469, infra. 



