Ancient Scottish lake-dwellings or crannogs : with a supplementary chapter on remains of lake-dwellings in England . Plan, A, b, c, d and e)varied from 10 to 20 feet in breadth, and extended outwardsin each case till we were satisfied, from the encroachment ofthe surrounding clay, that the margin of the crannog had 94 ANCIENT SCOTTISH LAKE-DWELLINGS. been reached. On the north and north-east trenches thewood-work assumed a most extraordinarily intricate arrange-ment. It consisted mostly of young trees and branches ofbirch, the bark of which was quite fresh-like, and distinctlyrecognisable, mix
Ancient Scottish lake-dwellings or crannogs : with a supplementary chapter on remains of lake-dwellings in England . Plan, A, b, c, d and e)varied from 10 to 20 feet in breadth, and extended outwardsin each case till we were satisfied, from the encroachment ofthe surrounding clay, that the margin of the crannog had 94 ANCIENT SCOTTISH LAKE-DWELLINGS. been reached. On the north and north-east trenches thewood-work assumed a most extraordinarily intricate arrange-ment. It consisted mostly of young trees and branches ofbirch, the bark of which was quite fresh-like, and distinctlyrecognisable, mixed with stakes and logs, some of oak, run-ning in all conceivable directions, and constituting a protec-tive barrier,—proof, I should say, against the most violentaction of both wind and water. At its inner side, close tothe original circular trench, this peculiar structure, whichwe called trestle-work, was only about 18 inches below thesurface, but sloped downwards, at first gradually, and thenrapidly, till it disappeared under the clay. At the north-east corner it extended about 20 feet beyond the group of. Fig. 45.—Woodenpoard Q). mortised beams, so that the latter could not have been alanding-stage, a theory which was long current amongst thequidnuncs. Near the outer edge of the cutting at thiscorner (c), there was observed, mixed up with the trestle-work, an oak beam, having two square mortised holes, whichmust have been originally adapted for a higher purpose thanthe humble function of packing, which it here over the wood-work, and less than two feet below thesurface, I picked up portions of a leather boot or shoe, withfragments of a leather lace, crossed diagonally, which hadtied it in front; also a small wooden stave like that of amilk-cog. Deeper, and near the outer edge, the workmenfound a much corroded dagger or spear head. At the south- EXCAVATION OF A CRANNOG AT LOCHLEE. 95 east corner (d), a series of upright piles with the remains of atransverse
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisheredinb, bookyear1882
