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MacRitchie, David, 1861-1925

"Fians, Fairies and Picts"

Kilda."[68]
"I consider the relation between the _boths_ [beehive houses] and
the Picts' houses of the Orkneys (and elsewhere) to be evident--the
same method of forming the arch, the low and narrow doors and
passages, the enormous thickness of the walls, when compared with
the interior accommodation--exist in both. When a _both_ is covered
with green turf it becomes a chambered tumulus, and when buried by
drifting sand it is a subterranean Pict's house.... I regard the
comparatively large Picts' houses of the Orkneys as the pastoral
residence of the Pictish lord, fitted to contain his numerous
family and dependents. Such an one exists on the Holm of Papa
Westray, which, according to the Highland method of stowage, would
certainly contain a whole clan. When writing the description of it,
I had not made acquaintance with a people who would close the door
to keep in the smoke, or that nested in holes in a wall like
sand-martins....
"But the _both_ of the Long Island is only the lodging of the
common man or 'Tuathanach,' and is consequently of small
dimensions, and not remarkable for comfort.


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