caithness-1911/05_042

Transcription

INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS, ETC., IN COUNTY OF CAITHNESS. -- xxxix

suggests a hut circle. The passage at its termination gives access to
a distinct chamber, the floor of which, covered with food refuse, bears
abundant evidence of occupation. The marked absence of underground
dwellings throughout the county is possibly due to the shallowness of
the soil.

GALLERIED DWELLINGS.

In the parish of Latheron, which occupies the southern end of
the county, a class of dwelling was met with which has not hitherto
come under observation. In plan the construction is either circular
with an interior diameter usually of from 20' to 25', or oblong with
rounded ends measuring on an average about 45' by 14', while
occasionally there are conjoined chambers or enclosures of both
forms. The walls, now as a rule much ruined, are formed of large
stones laid in courses without mortar. At some 3' or 4' inwards
from the face of the wall around the interior, pillar stones have
been set in the floor 5' to 6' distant from each other, and judging
from the one example which has been excavated (No. 250), from
5' to 6' in height above the floor level. From the top of the
wall there have been laid to the top of the pillars, which have
been of similar height, massive slabs measuring from 6' to 7' in
length, 2' to 3' in breadth, and from 7" to 12" in thickness, while
roofing the interspaces slabs of square-like form have been laid across,
as may be seen in the "Cor Tulloch" at Houstry of Dunbeath
(No. 262, pl. XXII.), where one such slab remains in situ. By these
means a covered gallery, or aisle, has been formed around the interior
leaving a central nave between the opposing pillars. Whether this
was roofed over or left open it is not possible to state definitely
without further excavation; but in the oblong examples, where the
total width in the interior on an average is about 15', and the width
of the central area only some 4' or 5', the completion of a slab roof
over the whole structure is most probable. In the circular buildings,
where the area within the circle of pillars has a diameter of 16' or
17', the employment of such a form of roofing is unlikely. In the
example excavated, the chamber had been partially dug out of the
slope of a hill, and the floor level at the back lay in consequence
as much as 4' to 5' below that of the surface on the exterior. The
masses of ruins from the fallen pillars and roofing slabs which now
encumber the interiors, as well as the considerable accumulation of
soil, disguise this feature, but it seems probable, from the low height
to which the pillars are now usually exposed, that previous to the
erection of the buildings the sites have been dug out.
Though the actual chambers containing the galleries are as a
rule circular or oblong, there is considerable variety in the plans of
the structures of which they have formed a part. On the Wagmore
Rigg (No. 248) two circular enclosures lie conjoined; those near the
base of Morven (No. 249) and near Braemore (No. 252) are combined
circles and oblongs; the example near Langwell (No. 250) is a
curved oblong attached to a hut circle around which there has been
no gallery; while that near Forse (No. 263) consisted of four galleries
varying in length from 48' to 54' or 55', and in breadth from 11'
to 15', all interior measurements, with indications of circular en-
closures connected with them. The large circular structure at Dail