37 
to the age of Stone. With this exception, as far as can be 
ascertained, nearly the same mode of construction prevailed in 
the pile-dwellings during the Stone, Bronze, and Iron periods. 
Some few of the lake-settlements appear to have almost 
touched the shore, but this is exceptional : most of them are 
at some little distance from it, and in all probability they were 
connected with it by a narrow platform or bridge supported by 
piles ; in some instances the remains of these bridges have 
been discovered. 
In certain cases, as near Nidau, the pile-dwellings have 
another 'peculiarity : they are formed on artificial mounds in the 
bottom of the lake, made by a large number of stones, which 
have evidently been brought in boats and sunk on the spot ; in 
fact, one boat, still loaded with the stones which proved too 
great a cargo for it, and which consequently sunk it to the bot- 
tom, is still to be seen at Peter's Island in the Lake of Bienne- 
This mode of construction (Stein-berg) is not uncommon, 
especially in the western lakes. 
It is impossible, according to the opinions of the best engi- 
neers, to drive piles into a heap of stones, consequently the 
piles must first have been driven more or less deeply into the 
mud, and the stones must then have been thrown down between 
and around them, in order to consolidate the structure. 
2. Fascine-dwellings. — Some lake-dwellings were not supported 
on piles, but rested upon layers of sticks, or small stems of trees, 
built up from the bottom of the lake, till the structure reached 
above the watermark, and on this the platform for the huts was 
placed. Numerous upright piles are found in dwellings of this 
description ; they were not used, however, to support the plat- 
form as in the pile-dwellings proper, but served as stays to the 
great mass of sticks, which reached down to the bottom of the 
lake. Fascine-dwellings occur chiefly in the smaller lakes, and 
apparently belong to the Stone period. 
3. Crannoges, or " Wooden-islands T — These singular structures 
bear a great resemblance to the class last described. They have 
hitherto been found chiefly, if not entirely, in Ireland and Scot- 
land. They were first brought into notice by Sir W. R. Wilde, 
in the proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy for 1840, and 
several were subsequently described by Mr. Shirley and other 
writers. The Catalogue of the Museum of the Royal Irish 
Academy contains notices of several crannoges. They have also 
been found in some of the Scotch lakes, especially in Dowalton 
Loch, which was drained by Sir Wm. Maxwell of Monreith. 
