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MacRitchie, David, 1861-1925

"Fians, Fairies and Picts"

]
PLATES VII. AND VIII.--_"Agglomeration of Bee-Hives" at Uig,
Lewis._
(From Plates XV. and XVI. of Vol. III. of _Proceedings of the Society of
Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)
"By far the most singular of all these structures, and probably
unique in the Long Island, is at Gearraidh na h-Airde Moire,
on the shore of Loch Resort. I cannot describe it better than by
bidding you suppose twelve individual bee-hive huts all built
touching each other, with doors and passages from one to the other.
The diameter of this gigantic booth is 46 feet, and [it] is nearly
circular in plan. The height of the doors and passages about 2-1/2
feet; and under the smokehole (_farlos_), in two of the chambers,
the height was 6-1/2 feet.... I am informed that, so late as 1823,
this _both_ was inhabited by four families." (Captain Thomas,
_Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot._, vol. iii., p. 139.)

[Illustration: PLATE IX.
PLAN AND ELEVATION OF A BOTH _at Gearraidh Aird Mhor, Uig, Lewis._
_a. dwellings._
_b. fosgarlan or porch._
_c. cuiltean or milk cupboards._
_d. doors._
_e.


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