Scotland in Pagan Times; The Iron AgeAnderson, Joseph
History
Scotland in Pagan Times; The Iron Age
Anderson, Joseph
Scotland -- Antiquities
In the Loch of Dowalton, situated in the centre of the peninsula,
bounded on the west by the Bay of Luce, and on the east by the Bay of
Wigton, in Wigtonshire, a group of Crannogs was investigated by Earl
Percy (then Lord Lovaine) in 1863, and subsequently examined by Sir
William Maxwell of Monreith, and the late Dr. John Stuart, then
Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. One of these,
situated on the south side of the loch and near the west end, presented
the appearance of a mass of stones and soil surrounded by numerous rows
of piles formed of young oak-trees. On the north-east side of the island
a number of beams of oak mortised together like hurdles were visible,
and below them layers of round logs laid horizontally. A few vertical
piles were observed, which, in some cases, had cross-beams mortised into
them. Below the layers of logs were masses of brushwood and fern. The
only sign of occupation noticed was the site of a hearth, with an
accumulation of ashes, burnt wood, and bones of animals. In the adjacent
refuse-heap a small fragment of bronze was discovered, and close by the
island a bronze basin was found. Near the eastern margin of the loch was
a group of three Crannogs. The largest of these was about 23 yards in
diameter. It was surrounded by many rows of piles, some of which had
their ends cut square across with a hatchet. The surface of the Crannog
was covered with stones resting on a mass of brushwood, fern, and
heather, intermingled with stones and earth. The whole mass was
penetrated and kept together by piles driven through it into the bottom
of the loch. On the south side were the remains of a massive
construction of planks of roughly-squared oak, 5 feet long, 2 feet wide,
and 2 inches thick, laid side by side in layers crossing each other
transversely, and pinned together. The general framework of this
platform-like structure was of massive beams mortised together, the
mortises measuring about 10 inches by 8 inches. On the north-east side,
and underneath part of the timber construction, a canoe was found, 21
feet in length and 3 feet 10 inches wide at the stern. The canoe was of
oak, hollowed out of a single tree, and the stern was closed by a board
sliding in a groove cut in both sides, and secured by a thicker piece 3
inches in height pegged down over it. A washboard projecting slightly
over the edge and pegged into the upper margin of the canoe, ran all
round the sides. [Illustration: Fig. 245.—Portion of a Shoe of stamped
leather (length, 7 inches).] There were two thole-pins inserted in
square holes on each side, and one of the thwarts remained in position.
A portion of a shoe formed of stamped leather (Fig. 245) was discovered
among the mass of material thrown out in excavating the canoe. One
hearth was discovered. It was simply a paved space, showing marks of
fire and an accumulation of ashes and food refuse. The bones were those
of the common domestic animals, the ox, the pig, and sheep. Among the
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