HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2008
[from Proc IoMNH&ASoc vol2 #2 1923]
By FRED SWYNNERTON.
Long ago Cumming drew attention to ancient trees occurring on the shore below Strand Hall, though it is very likely that the trees he mentioned have long ago been washed away. Just below high water mark, where the gravel gives way to sand, the lower part of a tree trunk projects above the stones to the height of about one foot. The trunk is about 15 inches in diameter at the upper part, and widens downwards, branching off into roots which disappear into the sand and gravel. Its bark has disappeared, its texture is hard and black. Unfortunately I do not know what sort of tree it is. Close by, higher up the shore, are other portions of trees, lying horizontally, which seem to be roots of good size-one I dug out might be six inches in diameter.. They have been pressed flat, preserve their bark, and the wood is red in colour. They are quite soft, and are easily cut with a sharp chisel. They lie on peaty earth, the peat above them having been washed away by the sea. I intend to cut the trunk standing for the Museum. I am informed that, higher up the shore, below the heaps of gravel and stones, are numerous similar trunks.
It seems clear that since these trees flourished the land has sunk considerably, first to form a bog in which peat accumulated sufficiently to crush the roots flat, and secondly to allow the sea to wash the overlying peat away. In a former paper on Prehistoric Remains in Rushen, I drew attention to bog hazel nuts having been found in the peat at low water mark below Mount Gawne, one-quarter mile to the south. So that it would seem that formerly what is now Bay-ny-Carricky shore, at least, must have been well wooded land. I think it is for this season that no Neolithic camp floors have been found on the brooghs between the present south and north ends of the Bay.
It will be remembered that it was below Strand Hall that the antlers of a deer were reported to have been found sticking out of the peat.
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received MNB
Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2008 |
||