3-047-016 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Serpent-shaped mound in Argyleshire, 1872. One of several tumuli discovered in several parts of Scotland by '...Mr. John S. Phené, F.S A., which presented indications of animal forms, some of which mounds had then already been opened by him, with curious results...The most perfect of these mounds, which represents a serpent, was found at Loch Nell, near Oban...it appears that in the head of the animal form there was a megalithic chamber containing burnt bones, charcoal, a beautifully-formed flint instrument, and burnt hazelnuts. On the peat moss being removed, the spine of this animal form was found to be carefully constructed, with regular and symmetrically-placed stones...Mr. Phené has modified his opinion as to the kind of animal form represented...he showed there was a marked resemblance in the form of the mound to that of the Egyptian Uroeus. We give an Illustration of this mound, which was compared with the more remarkable American mounds by drawings used by Mr. Phené to illustrate his paper. From these drawings the mound in question appears to be distinctly that of a serpent, and, as such, may be analogous to the mounds representing serpents existing in Ohio'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.