souterrain dangly-bits

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wideford W
wideford Sep 7, 2005 16:36:04

As part of SAM just been to (Grainbank) earth-house. A warden was talking about their use being to do with foodstuffs. Apparently when Martin Carruthers gives his talk on the 29th he will probably bring up that all souterrains have curved passages the point of which is that after the corner is turned the darkness closes in to keep things cool. I recollect that many souterains are noted for being entered by holes (often disguised from view) in high stream banks, basically ravines, or cliff-faces (as Petrie suggested at Saverock). Is this a defensive feature or is it advantageous for breezes and/or cooling water ?

F FourWinds
FourWinds Sep 7, 2005 23:48:46
Replying to wideford

The food arguement doesn't hold up for many Irish souts. They nearly all have defensive features such as creeps and sentry points. Many are lockable from the inside and turn to the right. As with stairs in castles righthand turns are a defensive measure to hampered righthanded attackers.

Obviously, defending a souterrain is a last ditch measure. If I was attacking one after gaining control of a fort I'd just set a big fire in the entrance!

Also, if I had a big hole in the ground that wasn't used for most of the year I probably would hang a few joints of meat up. However, somewhere you would expect to find one chock full of storage pots and bones.

Anyone know of an excavated souterrain having being full of pots and suck like?

Actually, anyone know of one being found full of dead bodies?