Part 4 (1/2)

PLATE III.--_Bee-Hive Houses at Uig, inhabited in 1859._

(From Plate XII. of Vol. III. of _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)

See p. 47, _ante_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE IV.

BEEHIVE-HOUSES (BOTHAN) MEABHAG, FOREST OF HARRIS.]

PLATE IV.--_Bee-Hive Houses at Meabhag, Forest of Harris._

(From Plate X. of Vol. III. of _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)

At the date of Captain Thomas's visit (1861) a man was still living who had been born in one or other of these dwellings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE V.

GROUND PLAN OF RUINED _BOTH_ AT BAILE FHLODAIDH, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND OF BENBECULA.

_a_. ”scarcely 18 in. wide.”]

PLATE V.--_Ground Plan of Bee-Hive House, Island of Benbecula._

(From Plate x.x.xII. of Vol. VII. of _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE VI.

SECTIONAL VIEW AND GROUND PLAN OF MOUND DWELLING, CALLED _BOTH STACSEAL_, SITUATED MIDWAY BETWEEN STORNOWAY AND CARLOWAY, LEWIS, HEBRIDES.

”A hole (_e_), called the Farlos, is left in the apex of the roof for the escape of the smoke, and is closed with a turf or flat stone as requisite.”

_Height of Dome, 7 feet._

_a, b. Doorways._

_c. Fireplace._

_d. Row of stones for seats._

_e. Centre. (Distance from e to end of cells, 7 feet.)_

_f, g, h. Cells or bed-places._

_f is ”2 feet wide and 15 inches high at the inner end; is 5 feet long and 3 feet high at the mouth. The opposite cell (g) is of the same dimensions. The third cell (h) is 4 feet wide at the mouth, 5 feet long, decreasing to 2 feet wide at the head, where it is 16 inches high.”_

The above is given by Captain Thomas as an example of such dwellings ”having oven-like bed-places around the internal area. This interesting summer house ill.u.s.trates the most antique form of dormitory; but in the winter houses the floor of the bedroom was raised three or four feet above the ground.” (Compare the side cells in Maes-How, Orkney.)]

PLATE VI.--_Chambered Mound (Both Stacseal), near Stornoway, Lewis._