Chapter III (3)

1. _Position of Relics._--As many of the relics, if judged independently of the rest and their surroundings, would be taken as good representatives of the three so-called ages of Stone, Bronze, and Iron, it is but natural for the reader to inquire if superposition has defined them by a corresponding relationship. On this point I offer no dubious opinion. The polished stone celt, Fig. 55, and the knife, Fig. 129, were found almost in juxtaposition about the level of the lowest fireplace. Though the hammer-stones, as a rule, were more abundant in the lower strata, yet the very first thing indicating human art which was found, when we commenced to dig towards the centre of the mound, was a hammer-stone. Almost all the horn implements were found at or below the level of the first-discovered pavement, and three-fourths of the querns were found above it. Below the same level, and around the hearths, tusks of boars were numerous, whereas almost none were found above it; and in the midden pigs' jaws and teeth were found only at its lowest stratum. Various inferences might be drawn from these remarks, which my readers can do for themselves.

2. _Character of the Wood-work._--From the discovery, in the deep section made below the log pavement, of beams with tenons and mortised holes, and large trunks having their branches lopped off as if with a hatchet, it would appear that the first constructors of the crannog were well acquainted with the use of metal tools. It may also be noted that the base of the wood-work of the island was at least 14 feet (after making allowance for the extra height of the mound) below the surface of the field, whereas that of the gangway, within a few feet of the crannog, was only 10 feet. This difference of 4 feet could hardly be accounted for by the inequality of the bed of the lake, as the field appeared here to be quite level, so that we must infer either that it was due to the absolute weight of the island on the portion of the bed of the lake directly below it, or that the gangway was of more recent construction than the island. After all these doubtful elements are eliminated, there remains the important fact that since the island was constructed, 10 feet of silt, at least, had accumulated around it.

That broken planks and old mortised beams were mixed up with the trestle-work in various places, would support the idea of a prior structure; while evidence that the whole superstructure had at one or more times been destroyed by fire was quite conclusive. According to this theory, the elaborate mortised beams at the north-east corner might have been a landing-stage, but, in their present position, they are quite inexplicable.

3. _Level of Lake._--Amongst the problems of a discursive character here referred to, perhaps there is none of greater interest than that which deals with the cause and effect of the change that has taken place in the level of the lake. From eye-witnesses we know that, before the first drainage was carried out, the mound used to be covered with water in the winter-time; and Mr. Charles Reid tells me that the line of level which he has adopted in measuring for the plan of the lake is 8 feet 7 inches above the log pavement. Now the area assigned to the lake by Mr. Reid is considerably less than what the old residenters of the district make it out to have been, as several of them have stated that they had seen its waters extend beyond the road on the west side (see Plan), and yet from his data the depth of water would just cover the highest part of the mound, which, it will be remembered, was about the same height above the log pavement. Originally the island must have been higher than the lake, but allowing that the log pavement was only 3 feet above the surface of the water, we have at least 11 feet of change of level to account for. This phenomenon could only be caused by a sinking of the whole island, or a rising of the water, or a combination of both causes. I do not think that the weight of the island and its superincumbent mass would press so heavily on the bottom of the lake as to cause it to sink much, since the enormous amount of wood-work, of which it consisted, being lighter than water, would have a corresponding buoyant effect, and so help to counteract the weight of the aërial portion. Nor has any great compression of its substance taken place from decay, because in the course of making the deep section under the log pavement, we found the contour of the large trees quite symmetrical and perfectly round; and although the wood was very soft it was not compressed, owing to its being completely saturated with water, which of course is virtually incompressible. Although I have often seen small brushwood flattened from pressure, yet I have never seen this effect produced on a branch larger than my wrist, and only in one instance did I notice it on a piece of wood of this size. Moreover, the gangway, which certainly could not sink from its weight, was deeply buried, its uppermost horizontal beams being not less than 7 feet below the surface of the field. We must therefore fall back on the only other alternatives, and assign this change in the relative position of the crannog and level of the lake either to a general compression and sinking of the bed of the lake or to the rising of the water. The latter result is somewhat unusual, because running water, having a tendency to deepen its channel, and the accumulation of sedimentary deposits, often produce an opposite effect, and cause the complete drainage of lake basins. I have therefore carefully examined the outlet of the lake to ascertain if possible the causes that led to this rise in its bed.

Its natural outflow was at the south-east corner, and the little stream, after running southwards for a few yards, quickly turned westwards into a narrow valley which wended towards Fail Loch. Just at this abrupt turning the background rose somewhat steeply to the south, so that the termination of the valley as it entered into the Lochlee basin was very liable to be obstructed by débris washed from the slopes above. Besides being thus favourably situated to catch washed-down materials, it is probable that during the summer the surplus water would be very scanty, and vegetation abundant, so that in the course of time the bed of the outlet would gradually be raised. A section cut across the outlet would readily disclose the sequence of the silted materials, had it not been that the soil was disturbed by a deep covered drain, which was made when the first drainage operations were executed, and ran along its whole course. Also, I understand that previous to this the lake was used as a mill-dam. We cannot therefore get rid of the elements of uncertainty in any calculations which might be based on the change of the level of the lake and the accumulation of silt in its bed and outlet.

I may however mention, on the grounds already stated, that since the foundations of the crannog were laid, the increase in the bed of the lake in its vicinity cannot have been less than 10 or 14 feet; and 11 feet is the lowest estimate that I can assign to the submergence of its surface. On the supposition that this apparent encroachment of the water was uniform, and since the last fireplace was about 6 feet above the lowest, and allowing 1-1/2 feet for the time the former was used, we have then the total period of occupancy of the crannog represented by 7-1/2 feet of total submergence. We have no means of comparing this period with its representation in so many feet of lake sediment, but I may state that since the canoe, found about 100 yards from the crannog, was abandoned, no less than 5 feet of this mossy lake sediment accumulated over it.

PLAN & SECTIONS OF

Crannog at Lochlee.]

The composition of the silt forming the bed of the lake, especially near the crannog, as already described at pp. 98, 99, points to the fact that for centuries the increase was due principally to the decomposition of vegetable matters, while latterly it was caused more by a deposition of fine clay; and when excavating along the line of the gangway we had an opportunity of verifying the regularity of this succession. A change so marked in the sediment can only be accounted for by a corresponding change in the surrounding scenery, and no explanation is more likely than that the primeval forests had given place to the inroads of agriculture, when some of the upturned virgin soil would be washed down, as it still is, by every trickling rill that finds its way into this lake basin.

[The selection of bones sent to Professor Rolleston for examination is now deposited in the Anatomical Museum at Oxford, and all the rest of the relics are located in the Museum attached to the Burns Monument at Kilmarnock.]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 25: Before this sketch was taken some of the horizontal beams were removed.]

[Footnote 26: In the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy are several shears similar to the above, which were found on the crannogs of Dunshaughlin, Clonfinlough, and Strokestown; and in the York Museum there is also a collection of articles of the Early Iron Age and late Celtic period, amongst which I noticed five shears made on the same principle as that from Lochlee.]

[Footnote 27: Colonel Gould Weston, F.S.A., has pointed out that one of these devices is a fylfot (croix gammée or swastika), an ancient symbol which in modern times has called forth a considerable amount of speculative writing. Its occurrence on four Irish monumental stones of the early Christian period has been the occasion of a recent article by the Bishop of Limerick (see _Proceed. of Royal Irish Acad._ vol. xxvii. part 3). The following extract from a paper, by M. Oscar Montelius, on the Sculptured Rocks of Sweden, is of interest as bearing on this point:--

"_La fréquence de la roue_ ou du cercle crucifère (Fig. 11) et _l'absence totale de la croix gammée_ (Fig. 12). Toutes deux sont, sans doute, des symboles religieux. La première (Fig. 11) qui se trouve très-souvent sur les monuments de l'âge du bronze, est presque totalement inconnue pendant l'âge du fer. La croix gammée (Fig. 12), au contraire, est très-fréquente pendant ce dernier âge; je ne l'ai jamais vue sur les rochers sculptés dont nous parlons à présent."--_Compte-Rendu_, Congres Inter. d'Anthrop. et d'Arch. Préhistorique, 7ᵐᵉ Session, 1874, Tom. i. pp. 459, 460.

See also Dr. Schliemann's works on the excavations at Troy and Mycenæ, where both these symbols are referred to as of frequent occurrence. In Dr. Schliemann's more recent work on Troy or "Ilios," an interesting account of the meaning and prevalence of this symbol among all nations is given.

It is found on some of the sculptured stones of Scotland. On a slab of greywacke from Craignarget, Gillespie, Glenluce, now deposited in the National Museum, Edinburgh, there is a cross on the upper part, with the sun and moon in the usual position above the arms, and two small crosses underneath, and below them a fylfot or swastika, together with cup-marks and concentric circles and various other devices. (See woodcut page 251, vol. iii. _Proceed. Soc. Antiq. Scot._, new series.)

It also occurs on the famous Newton stone, along with two inscriptions, one of which is written in "Roman minuscular letters of an exceedingly debased form," and the other in Ogham characters, as well as on several other monuments of Christian time.

According to Dr. Joseph Anderson, although of Pagan origin, the fylfot has become a Christian symbol from the fourth to the fourteenth or fifteenth century.--(_Scotland in Early Christian Times_, vol. ii. p. 218.)

It is seen also in a mosaic pavement in the recently explored Roman villa in the Isle of Wight. (See Report by Cornelius Nicholson, F.G.S.)]

[Footnote 28: See Nathusius, _Schweineschädel_, 1864, p. 147; Rütimeyer, _Basel. Gesell. Naturforscher_, 1864, p. 161; Naumann, _Archiv für Anthrop._ viii. p. 23, 1875; Stüder, _Zürich. Mittheilung., Pfahlbauten_, 1876, xix. 3, p. 67.]

[Footnote 29: For reference to the bibliography of prehistoric Swine, see _Linnean Soc. Trans._, ser. ii., Zool. vol. i. 1877, p. 272.]

[Footnote 30: For reference to the history of this variety of sheep, see _British Barrows_, p. 740.]