478 



DILAR. 



A hunter, sporting- at a place called Dilar, about two Spanish 

 leagues from Granada, seventeen years ago, on the verge of the Sierra 

 Nevada, came on some tumuli ; one of them was resorted to by- rabbits, 

 and, on attempting to dislodge them, he discovered a sepulchral cham- 

 ber. This discovery was supposed to indicate a mine. A company was 

 formed ; the whole tumulus was excavated, and what stones were not 

 useful to an adjoining manufactory of baize were destroyed. Fortu- 

 nately an artist of the name of Don Martino Rico appreciated their 

 value, and made a sketch of their original state. 



I visited the spot some months since ; and I regret that, with the ex- 

 ception of two large stones, which seem to have formed the entrance, 

 there is nothing remaining in situ (see PI. xxxviii.). Their dimensions 

 are — height, 245 inches, and their front width is 317 inches. There is 

 an opening in the door of 195 inches. I also saw the stones which had 

 been removed from thence, which have been used for nagging at the 

 manufactory of Don Pedro Roges. Their dimensions are — 



Inches. Inches. 



1. 242 length, by 131 breadth. 



2. 262 „ 124 „ 



In the immediate vicinity of this unfortunate tumulus there are 

 two other tumuli, which have not been disturbed, and I trust are 

 reserved for investigation in less troublous times. 



Having exhausted the more remarkable monuments which I have 

 visited, I shall conclude with some extracts from a remarkable work of 

 Senor Don Manuel de Gongora y Martinez, entitled " Antiqiiedades 

 Prehistoricos de Andalucia." 



Cave of Albunol, near Motril, in the Province of Granada, vulgarly 

 called Cueva de los Murcielagos, or Batf s Cave. 



It is situated on the side of a steep ravine, which is approached by 

 a steep path (see PI. xxxix. A, fig. 1). It is limestone rock. 



In this cave there were found at letter (B.) in the accompanying 

 sketch (PL xxxix.), three skeletons. The skull of one had a diadem 

 of pure gold (fig. 2, PL xxxix.) of twenty -four carats, weighing twenty- 

 five adarmas, about one drachm, and of the intrinsic value of sixty 

 dollars. 



At 0. (PI. xxxix.) three more skeletons, the skull of one stuck be- 

 tween two large stones, and beside it a cap of esparto, with fresh marks 

 on it, apparently of blood. 



At D. (PL xxxix.) twelve skeleton bodies were discovered, surround- 

 ing the body of a female, admirably preserved, clothed in a garment of 

 skin, open on the left side, and kept together in the middle by two 

 straps interlaced. It had a necklace of esparto, from whose rings hung 

 marine shells, except the central one, which had a boar's tusk fashioned 

 at the extremity, ear-rings of a black stone, without any opening, and 

 probably fixed by a ring. 



