415 



nearly IS", and S. across the crannoge, are three sets of piles, 4 feet long, 

 and 3x3 inches thick, marked on section and plan B, C, D. One of them 

 is in the accompanying collection, 'No. 61. 



In making the excavations, the moment hed No. 6 was cleared out, 

 the water burst up, and impeded all satisfactory work. In all the 

 workings subsequently opened, bed I^o. 3 was reached; bat only in one 

 instance were we able to get down to the lower beams, jSTo. 1 in section, 

 and then the influx of water prevented us finding what was below. In 

 bed No. 6 a few bones were found that were much broken and gnawed. 

 Thej seemed to belong to oxen, sheep, and pigs. Also a rough oak 

 plank. No. 69 in collection, about a foot square: and at the surface of 

 the bed a whetstone (No. 3 in collection). In an excavation on bed 

 No. 5 there was found a quantity of wood ashes ; and adjacent to them 

 a circular wooden noggin, or meatker, 4 inches in diameter, and 3 inches 

 high, with a small round handle near its upper margin, which was be- 

 velled to an edge. This meather was whole when taken out, but sub- 

 sequently fell to pieces, as it was perforated hj rootlets of bog plants. 

 JN'ear it was what seemed to be the handle of another wooden vessel ; 

 but, although it was freshly broken, the other pieces of it could not be 

 found. In another excavation were found a piece of sharpening stone 

 (j^o. 4), a slab of sandstone (No^. 1 and 2), nearly 9 inches square, 

 which seemed to have been used as a hearthstone ; a piece of iron 

 (I^'o. 6), 4 inches long, apparently a portion of some sort of cutting in- 

 strument ; and some bright red colouring matter, rolled up in a piece of 

 birch bark. 



The centre of this island, as marked on the Ordnance Map, is 271 

 feet above the level of the sea, while the height of the lake is 270-5 

 feet, which would leave a diiFerence of 6 inches in favour of the cran- 

 noge; and by section No. 1, we find that the lowest beams of it are 

 4 feet 2 inches lower than the level of the lake. From this it would 

 appear that the then surface of the water of the lake must have been at 

 least 5 feet lower than at present ; which would only leave the floor of 

 the crannoge 1 -5 feet above the water. It seems to have originally con- 

 sisted of a circular wooden platform, round which was a circular wall, 

 the framework of which were the piles, the interstices being filled with 

 sods. As the lake rose, it was found necessary to raise the floor, first by 

 a mass of birch timber, and branches, and afterwards by a layer of 

 stones. About this time it may have been divided into compartments, 

 by the north and south lines of piles, as they do not seem to go down 

 lower than the oak beams. I should here mention, that whenever we 

 find rows of piles, they appear to have been the framework of either a 

 sod or wicker wall ; in this crannoge they seem to have been the former. 

 The last occupiers of which we have any trace coated the surface of the 

 island with flat stones. 



No. 5 in the collection was found near the surface of the crannoge. 

 The bones in this and the other crannoges were more abundant near the 

 outside piles than elsewhere. They are all very much broken, and many 

 have also the appearance as if they were gnawed by dogs. 



