The designers of the lake dwellings followed two plans of construction. the crannoge closely related to terraced mounds, and the pile building, resting above the water on posts. In the former, stones, brush, and mud were heaped up in shallow places in small sheets of water not far from shore. Short piles were driven around the edge of the tumulus and retaining walls were rudely constructed, not to support the mass. but to protect it. On the top of these islands lived the family or clan.
In the smaller Swiss lakes, where the surf was not too strong for the sea wall, erannoge foundations were erected. But on the larger lakes where the winds often made the waters turbulent, was adopted the second method, or pile structures. After bronze axes found their way into the region, it was not difficult to fell a tree six inches in diameter, but before the Bronze Age, in the building of Wangen on Lake Constance, Moosseedo•f, Nussdorf, and Wauwyl, only stone axes were used. ' The lower ends of the piles look as though they had been gnawed by beavers. The amount of labor involved may be judged from the fact that at \Vangen alone 50,000 piles were used.
In ease the bottom was hard, stones were heaped about the bases of the piles. A dugout boat laden with stone was found at the station of Concise on Lake Neuchatel. On the contrary, when the soil was too soft, rough planks or frameworks of logs were fitted to the lower ends of the piles to prevent their sinking too low. The framework for the platform is a matter of conjecture, but deductions from the practices of historic and modern savages give an approximate idea of their construction. Among the P.eonians on Lake Prasias. in Thrace, planks or slabs were fitted on the tops of piles out in the lake away from the shore, and a narrow causeway or bridge was the only entrance. When a new pile dwelling was projected, all the members of the tribe worked together. Afterwards when the men, who were polygamists. married they sank three piles for each wife, bringing the timber from Mount Orbelus. Each man had his own wooden hut on the platform with a trap-door opening to the water.
The Indians of Lake Maracaibo set up piles of different lengths in pairs or leave a short crotch at the proper height. On the top of the shorter piles or projections rest the sills of the houses; and on the top of the longer piles rest the framework of the roof. and these are fastened
together with rope or strong vines. The sills support the floor of straight poles or canes as close together as they can be placed. yet leaving air and dust spaces between. The framework of the roof is of light wood or cane, and on these are fastened a thatch of palm-leaf. Access to the house from the water side is on a notched for steps or ladder. or by means of dugout canoes. Being a warm country, there are no walls properly so called to the houses. Artificial islands are erected close to the dwellings on which domestic animals and poultry are kept. Platforms extend outside of the roof, and on these are conveniences relating to domestic econ omy. not omitting pigpens.
Returning to the Swiss remains, the arehte ologist finds that with the aid of the histo rian and the ethnographer he has no difficulty in reconstructing the ancient lake dwellings. Iii the Stone Age piles were not planted with abso lute regularity, and at Wauwyl the crannoge or Backwerkbautcn style was followed. The ground was laid off in four quadrangles, the interiors of which revealed several platforms, one above an other, the spaces between being filled with branches of trees, leaves, and peat. This succes sion of levels proves that the site was long occu pied. Communication with the land was by means of boats and narrow pile bridges. The dwellings in the earliest lake villages were per haps circular tents or huts made wholly or in part of skin, the builders transferring their land habitations to platforms. Later on there were urns, bison, stag, deer, wild boar, and marsh ; but in the Bronze Age stations the bones 01 wild animals are very rarely found. Domestic animals (horse, ex, goat, sheep, and dog) were all known to the Neolithic lake dwellers. The Bronze Age people retained these and added or lamed the hog.
The flora is equally instructive. Barley, wheat in several varieties, spelt, beans, acorns, apples, and flax, in a charred state, come from the most ancient as from the most recent sta tions. Hemp, oats, and rye are absent from all. neer makes the important suggestion that while the charred remains of wild species agree in the minutest particulars with those still living in Switzerland, the cultivated plants differ from all existing varieties, having smaller seed.