LOUGH EYES CRANNOGS.
Plate 1. W. F. Wakeman 1870.
Lough Eyes is situated two miles north-east of the village of Lisbellaw; it is about two-thirds of a mile long, by less than a quarter of a mile across at its greatest breadth. This lough was not known to possess any manner of interest, scenic or otherwise, except indeed for the disciples of Isaak Walton, who found it well stocked with scaly prey. The Irish name of the lake appears to have been lost, possibly corrupted, or perhaps translated, for near the southern shore a spring called Tobernasoul—“the well of the eyes”—still gives forth water forming a small rivulet that connects the well with the lake, so that in all probability this furnishes a clue to the modern name of the sheet of water. Lough Eyes, like the crannog retreats of Ballydoolough and Drumgay—distant respectively about three miles—was anciently embosomed in a dense primæval forest. The roots and portions of the stems of oak, pine, and alder, of immense size, remained in situ, and were in such close proximity that their foliage must have commingled and formed a canopy impervious to storm. The forest, however, has been “pared to the stump,” as may be seen from the sketch of the locality—taken from the south-east—which conveys a fair idea of the tout ensemble of the scene. In consequence of the exceptional dryness of the summer of 1870, the level of the water was greatly diminished, and the islands (six in number) became exposed to view ([plate XLIII., No. 1]). Although the elevation of the remains above the surface of the water was unequal, still the rows of piling by which the lake dwellings had been protected and enclosed were on about the same plane. The crannog that was situated in the deepest part of the lake would appear to have sunk, but its subsidence may be attributed to the perishable nature of its component parts—logs and branches. The other habitations were constructed upon shoals—in one instance upon a natural turf-bank artificially strengthened, and then raised to the required height with layers of sticks, brambles, earth, and stones. [Plate XLIII., Nos. 2, 3, 4], give the ground-plan, section, and general aspect of the most important crannog of the group; its greatest height above summer level is ten feet, but it is never entirely submerged; it measures two hundred and eight feet in circumference. A trench cut across the island ([plate XLIII., No. 3]) demonstrated its artificial strata to be as follows:—The surface consisted of a layer—averaging a foot in depth—of stones deposited without any appearance of regularity; these stones rested upon a layer of earth ([A]) of similar thickness, from which broken bones and small particles of charcoal were disinterred. Underneath was a stratum ([B]) that had been formed of branches of oak, alder, pine, hazel, &c., roughly thrown together, and with traces of the bark still distinctly discernible, intermixed also with remains of brambles, decayed foliage, small stones or gravel, a little earth and bog mould. Next followed about six feet of a seemingly undisturbed stratum of peat ([C]), lying upon a deposit of sand and marl ([D and E]), which probably at some very remote period had formed the original lake bottom. The stockading that originally surrounded the islet still existed. To the west and north the stakes were four deep, driven in close together, and forming an almost solid whole; they were nearly all of oak, roughly hewn, and sharply pointed by a metal instrument ([plate XLIII., No. 5]). Half buried in the soil were several pieces of oak—one a barrel-shaped block ([plate XLIII., No. 8]), one foot four inches in length, by one foot ten inches in circumference; the groove cut in one of its sides is two inches deep, by one and a-half inches broad. The other block ([plate XLIII., No. 6]) measures one foot seven inches, by six inches; another is slightly smaller; and a fourth ([No. 9]) has all the appearance of having formed portion of the bottom of a wooden vessel; it measures twelve inches across.
Plate XLIV.
LOUGH EYES.
Plate 2. W. F. Wakeman 1870.
Subsequently, at a season when the water was exceptionally low, the locality was again examined, and a shoal or ridge, evidently the remains of a piled causeway by which the islands in Lough Eyes had been connected together, was then discovered. In the neighbourhood a tradition existed that in ancient times “a road passed through Lough Eyes.” This lingering belief would be fully explained by the existence of a kesh or causeway—and upon this, as well as upon the main crannog, was found a quantity of bones of the Bos longifrons, red deer, ass, sheep, goat, and pig. Mixed with the animal remains was an extraordinary collection of broken earthen vessels like those in the Drumgay and Ballydoolough sites. The fragments were nearly all more or less ornamented with indented patterns, sometimes arranged simply in lines, in other cases presenting chevron designs. The illustrations (ante, pp. [93], [94]) represent two of these vessels restored. [Fig. 71] is a flat disc, seemingly a cover or lid. Figs. [72], [73], [98], [99], and [100], were also found in this locality. Second in position from the left side of the general view of Lough Eyes ([plate XLIII.]), a very small island (No. 2 crannog) may be discerned in the distance: this is a sunken crannog; its appearance is shown in the lowest sketch ([plate XLIV.]). To the right, in the general view ([plate XLIII.]), is the most northern crannog (No. 3) of the group; its general plan and details form the three upper sketches of [plate XLIV.] The shape was circular, the diameter about fifty feet, the piles stood almost as originally driven, but the horizontal timbers of the interior had disappeared. A cruciform section demonstrated that the island consisted of a low mound formed of sand, earth, and stones, which had settled down into their then position. A whetstone, and portion of a highly decorated quern (ante, p. [88]), rewarded the search. Bones lay scattered along the beach, as well as over the surface of the islet, and pottery was found in abundance (see ante, [plate XVIII.]). The fourth island (No. 4) from the left of the view is represented in the sketch second from the bottom ([plate XLIV.]). It was similar to the last described: a cruciform section of considerable depth threw little light on the internal construction; there were only layers of earth, sand, and sticks. The result of a search and digging along the shore brought to light a portion of the upper stone of a quern, fractured bones, and small fragments of pottery. The fifth crannog was of the sunken class, although some of the stakes were still in situ. It was low and narrow, seldom above water, therefore its exploration was practically impossible. Some bones and fragments of pottery (ante, [plate XIX.]), a whetstone, and pieces of a jet bracelet, were the sole mementoes discovered. The sixth, and last crannog is to the extreme right of the general view ([plate XLIII.]). In summer-time, during low water, it was a peninsula. Many of the stakes retained their position, but a section made into it presented nothing of importance. From about the group of crannogs, fragmentary specimens of what had probably been bracelets of jet were discovered, and the axe-head of deer’s horn figured and described (ante, p. [59]) was dug up in this locality. The bones, pottery, and other debris, seemed to be distributed pretty equally all around. Copper vessels had been found in connexion with these lake dwellings, but attracted no attention as they were supposed to be part of the “plant” of poteen distillers.[212] In the neighbourhood small mounds—consisting chiefly of heaps of burnt sandstone—were very common; these stones were easily pulverised.