162 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
In the circular cell at the southern end of the curved passage were 
found three articles — a bronze pin, a buckle, and an iron dagger. 
I have shown these to Dr. Frazer, whose opinion is worthy of 
respect, and he looks on the pin and dagger as Danish, and the buckle 
Irish work. Should he be correct, it would lead to the supposition 
that the tomb had been rifled, of which I have no doubt, for we 
read in the Annals of Ulster, that in a.d. 862 "The cave Achadh 
Aldai and Cnodhba (Knowth), and this sepulchre of Boadan over 
DoAvth, and the cave of the wife of Gobhan, were searched by the 
Danes, quad antea perfectum est, on one occasion that the three kings 
Aruloff, Imai, and Anish were plundering the territory of Plann, 
the son of Conaing." 
To the south of the passage described further excavation was 
carried on, and a curious chamber was discovered, 14 feet in diameter, 
surrounded by massive stones, most of which are covered with similar 
carvings to those found on the cruciform chamber. This chamber 
appears to have been approached by a passage towards the south-west, 
also formed by very large stones. On the largest stone to the right 
there are four hollows. 
The obscurity as to the meaning of the devices carved on these 
stones has led me to compare them with markings on pottery, also 
with masons' marks used at the present day and in past ages both in 
India and other parts of the world. The devices on the pottery of the 
Zuni Indians (of which they are able to give explanations), which are 
seen on the ware obtained for the University of Oxford, and so beauti- 
fully illustrated in the Proceedings of the Smithsonian Institute at 
Washington, may help to give a clue to the reading of the devices 
at Dowth, Loughcrew, and elsewhere. 
I find many similar devices on the Egyptian ware corresponding 
with those at Dowth. To follow the analogy further, I show masons' 
marks of the present day ; others, from India, as old as the eleventh 
century ; and I am now collecting those of mediaeval times, which will 
enable the reader to compare notes, and further investigate this very 
interesting subject. 
The mark known as the Swastika — 
tfi ifi 
is common to India, Cyprus, and Ireland. In the churchyard at Dingle 
I have found this on a very ancient tomb. 
