designed, the plant in the flower-pot is evidently not copied from nature; yet is so nearly identical with those on the sculptured stones of Scotland in all their peculiarities as to point to the probability of both having a common origin. Feet Comparative size of the Principal Stone Circies of Great Britain. ▲ Large Circle at Avebury Ring of Brogar, Stennes 342 CHAPTER VIII. PRIMITIVE STONE MONUMENTS, AND THEIR ANTIQUITY.1 Monolithic Columnar Circles were of different kinds, and intended for different purposes Their Form devised in warm climates-Their Origin previous to any record-Varieties of Primitive Monuments-No rational Traditions, but similar fabulous Legends regarding their erection - Rude Circular Fanes now commonly reared in India-Proofs of the Antiquity of Stones sculptured with Heathen symbols-Sculptured Stones found in the Castlehill of Kintore; on the Rock of Dinnacair; Classernish; Stennis-Remains in the Country of the Veneti-Silbury-hill. HILOLOGISTS of the present century, with wonderful PHILO perseverance and success, have developed affinities in the languages of various nations from the borders of China to the shores of the Atlantic. This renders more worthy of attention the fact, that over the same vast region, even in countries where such links of common ancestry or early communication have not yet been established, there is often a particular and always a general resemblance in the Cyclopean memorials of a remote era. As regards Persia, the identity of form in rude monuments of that country with those of Britain was pointed out long before the affinity of the Celtic to the Zend or Sanskrit was dreamt of; and eighteen centuries ago Pliny re 1 By primitive stone monuments I which in any country there is no mean those of rude construction and authentic record nor rational traapparent antiquity, of the origin of dition. corded the similarity of the magical arts of the British Druids and the Persian Magi.1 1 Whether the columnar Cyclopean structures of Celtic countries were erected as temples for the administration of religious ceremonies, as courts of justice, as places for the assembly of councils and the inauguration of princes, or as sepulchres, has given rise to much discussion. But for whatever they were originally destined, some of them were probably used for each, and some for all these purposes, although not perhaps by the same tribe, at least not in the same periods. If what are called Druidical circles are carefully examined, it will be perceived that many of them possess distinctive features that clearly mark a difference in the objects for which they were intended. A In the rude fanes of other countries, as well as in those of our pagan ancestors, we cannot expect to find that identity of form in details which we shall look for in vain in the temples, ancient and modern, of any religion existing or extinct. Hindu pagoda, Buddhist dagoba, Mohammedan mosque, or Christian church, is never seen identical in size and form with any other of its co-religious edifices; yet the temples of each of these religions have a distinctive character by which, in their most extreme difference and in the most distant lands, they may be still recognised. This is also the case with the widely-extended Cyclopean monuments, and tends to show 1 The similarity in "popular tales" is another subject that bears upon the early connection of the ancestors of many nations that are now geographically remote. This branch of ethno logical lore assumed a position of importance under the Brothers Grimm; and, as regards the Norse and Gaelic, has been lately developed in the works of Dasent and Campbell. |