Note 41 — Chapter V

Amongst the donations to the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, I find various vessels of brass found in marshy ground near Balgone, East Lothian (also deer's horns and bones of animals.—Proceed. vol. vi. p. 174), by Sir George Grant Suttie, Bart., which are at least suggestive of the former existence of a lake and a crannog in the locality.

These vessels consist of—

A large bronze (brass) tripod pot, with loops at the neck for handle, 13 inches across the mouth, 15¹⁄₂ inches high, and circumference round the middle 45 inches.

Three other bronze (brass) pots of similar type, varying in size. A bronze (brass) pot (measuring, etc.). Shallow bronze (brass) basin, etc. Portion of a larger bronze (brass) basin. Bronze (brass) tripod vessel, with spout and looped handles, etc. Bronze (brass) tripod vessel with straight spout, etc.

The following extract of a letter from Sir G. Grant Suttie gives the details of the discovery, dated 16th Feby. 1849:—"Last autumn my labourers were trenching amongst some rhododendrons in a piece of mossy ground under a peculiar ledge of grey rocks, in my park at Balgone, near my house, and about a mile and a half due south from North Berwick Law, when they found a number of camp-kettles of various sizes, one very large, and in this, one of the goblets was found. They were close to each other, and about 8 feet from the surface. The meadow, extending to about 20 acres, where they were found, was generally under water till imperfectly drained by me; since then the level has sunk from 3 to 4 feet. I have little doubt that when these kettles were deposited here the meadow was a lake, or at all events a morass."—(Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. vol. iii. p. 251.)