Figure 112.

Engraved rock from Massibert (Lozère).

In Brittany and in Scotland these cup-like sculptures are found on rocks and menhirs, on the walls of sepulchral chambers, on stones forming the sides of kistvæns, accompanied in many instances with radiated circles, which do not, however, help us to understand them better. In Scandinavia they are known as Elfen Stenavs, or elf stones, and the inhabitants come and place offerings on them for the Little People. According to a touching tradition, these little people are souls awaiting the time of their being clothed once more in human flesh. In Belgium these strangely decorated stones are attributed to the Nutons, dwarfs who are very helpful to mortals. In every country there is some legend sacred to the sculptured stones.

Such are the only facts we have been able to collect respecting the religious feeling of prehistoric races. They are not sufficient to authorize any final conclusion on the subject. At every turn we are compelled to admit our helplessness. But yesterday this past without a limit was absolutely unknown to us, and to-day we are but beginning to be able to obtain a glimpse into its secrets. We have been the laborers of the first hour, it will be for those who come after us to complete the task we have been able but to begin. May a genuine love of truth be to them, as we may justly claim it has been to us, the only guide.

1 The true name of this cave is the Betche aux Roches. A very excellent essay on the subject was read by the explorers, MM. de Puydt and Lohest, in August, 1886, to the Historic Society of Belgium, and “Les Fouilles de Spy,” by Dr. Collignon, published in the Revue d’Anthropologie, 1887, may also be consulted. Excavations were also carried on in the same cave in 1879 by M. Bucquoy (Bul. Soc. Anth. de Belgique, 1887). He distinguished five ossiferous levels and picked up some flints of the Moustérien type, and even some Chelléen hatchets, to which he gave the name of coups de poing.—Fraipont and Lohest; “Recherches sur les Ossements Humains Decouvertes dans les Dépôts Quaternaires d’un grotte à Spy.”

2 We borrow these details from a valuable work by Cartailhac (Mal., 1886, p. 441; Rev. d’Anth., 1886, p. 448). The conclusions of our learned colleague are that we really know nothing of the funeral rites of the men of Chelles and Moustier, and that it is to the Solutréen period that we must assign the first really authenticated tombs. Cartailhac’s admirable book, “La France Préhistorique,” p. 302, should also be consulted.

3 “Ipui Antichi Sepolcri dell Italia.”

4 Archæological Journal, vol. xxii.

5 Matériaux, 1885, p. 299.

6 This dolmen was carefully excavated by MM. Hahn and Millescamps, Bul. Soc. Anth., 1883, p. 312.

7 Rivière; Congrès des Sciences Géographiques, Paris, 1878.

8 Atti della R. Acad. dei Lincei, 1879–1880. Pigorini: Bul. de Pal. Italiana, 1880, p. 33.

9 Soc. Anth. de Munich, 1886.

10 Soc. Anth. de Lyon, 1889.

11 “Histoire du Travail en Gaule,” p. 24.

12 Troyon: “De l’ Attitude Repliée dans la Sépulture Antique,” Revue Arch., 1864.

13 Matériaux, 1875, p. 327.

14 A. Nicaise: Matériaux, 1880, p. 186.

15 Arch. Préhistorique, p. 178.

16 Congrès Préhistorique de Bruxelles, p. 299.

17 Bul. Soc. Anth., 1876, p. 191. Grad: Nature, 1877, 1st week, p. 314.

18 Memorie sulle scoperte paleoethnologiche della campagna romana. Pigorini adds in his turn: “I cadaveri erano abitualmente adagiati sul fianco sinistro, col cranio appogiato sulla mano sinistre e le ginocchia alquanto piegate in guisa che tavolta si trovarono le tibie assai prossime alla cassa toracica.”

19 Pallery: “Mon. Mégalithiques de Mascara,” Bul. Soc. Ethn., 1887.

20 Bancroft: “The Native Races of the Pacific,” vol. i., pp. 365, etc. Moreno: “Les Paraderos de la Patagonie,” Rev. d’Anth., 1874.

21 “Nécropole de Colonna, prov. de Grosseto,” R. Acad. dei Lincei, Roma, 1885.

22 Bul. Soc. Anth., 1880, p. 895.

23 Abbé Baudry et Ballereau: “Les Puits Funéraires du Bernard,” La Roche-sur-Yon, 1873.

24 “Renseignements sur une Ancienne Nécropole Manzabotta, près de Bologna,” Bologna, 1871.

25 Gross: “Les Proto-Helvètes.” Morel-Fatio: “Sépultures des Populations Lacustres de Chamblandes.” As at Auvernier, a great many bears’ tusks were found lying near the dead, which may possibly also have had something to do with a funeral rite.

26 D. Charnay: North American Review, January, 1881.

27 Stuart: “The Early Modes of Burial.”

28 Vidal Seneze; Bul. Soc. Anth., 1877, p. 561.

29 “Histoire des Incas,” Paris, 1744, chap. xviii.

30 Conestabile: “De l’incinération chez les Etrusques.”

31 A. Bertrand: “Arch. Celtique et Gauloise,” Introduction.

32 Ass. française, Nantes, 1875; Havre, 1877.

33 Luco: “Exposition de Trois Monuments Quadrilatères par feu James Miln,” Vannes, 1883.

34 P. du Chatellier: “Mém. Soc. d’Emulation des Côtes-du-Nord,” Saint Brieuc, 1883.

35 Proceedings Soc. Anth. of Scotland, January 11, 1886.

36 “On the Ancient Modes of Sepulchre in the Orkneys” (British Association, 1877).

37 Kohn and Mehlis: “Zür Vorgeschichte des Menschen im Ostlichen Europa,” Iéna, 1879.

38 Hochstetter: “Die neueste Graber Funde von Watsch. und S. Margarethen und der Kultur Kreiss der Hallstadter Period,” Wien, 1883. Siebenter: “Bericht der Prehistorischen Commission,” Wien, 1884.

39 In these tombs were found 61 gold objects, 5,574 bronze, 593 iron, 270 amber, 73 glass, and 1,813 terra-cotta. A. Bertrand: Rev. d’Ethnographie, 1883.

40 Smithsonian Report, 1881.

41 Putnam, xii. and xx. Reports of the Peabody Museum.

42 “De Bello Gallico,” book vi., cap. xix. Consult also Pomponius Mela: “De Situ Orbis,” book iii., cap. ii.

43 In his fruitful excavations of Gallic, Gallo-Roman, and Merovingian tombs, Moreau collected no less than 31,515 flint celts or hatchets, which had evidently been votive offerings. See Album de Caranda: “Fouilles de Sainte Restitute, de Trugny, d’Armentière, d’Arcy, de Brenny,” etc.