Fig. 256.—Bone Comb from the Knowe of Saverough, Orkney (1⁄2).
But if, from internal evidence, a presumptive case is made out in favour of the Celtic origin and occupation of these lake-dwellings, it is greatly strengthened when we consider that the neighbouring Celtic races in Scotland and Ireland were in the habit of erecting similar island abodes, while there is not a particle of evidence in favour of the idea that such structures originated with the Roman conquerors of Britain or its Saxon invaders.
Fig. 257.—Comb of Bone found in the Broch of Burrian, Orkney (1⁄2).
Fig. 258.—Bone Comb from the Broch of Burrian, Orkney (1⁄2).
The resemblance between the remains found in the Scottish and Irish lake-dwellings, as well as in many other antiquarian finds of Celtic character, must also not be overlooked. Combs, similar in structure and ornamentation to those from Buston, have been found in several of the Irish crannogs (Fig. 255);[48] in the Brochs and other antiquities of the north of Scotland, as at the Knowe of Saverough, Orkney (Fig. 256); the Broch of Burrian (Figs. 257 and 258); and in many of the ruins of the Romano-British towns, as at York and Uriconium (Fig. 259).[49] Iron knives and shears, variegated beads of impure glass, with grooves and spiral marks, ornaments of jet and bronze, implements of stone, bone, and horn, besides querns, whetstones, etc., are all common to Celtic antiquities wherever found.
Fig. 259.—Bone Comb from Uriconium (2⁄3).