MENTION OF STONE CIRCLES IN ANCIENT HISTOEY. 119 



Lafitau figures an Indian (Virginian) temple consisting of 

 a circle of upright stones, which, however, are carved at the 

 top into rude representations of human faces.* Mr. Squier 

 mentions stone circles as occurring in Peru.-)- 



As regards the period at, or purposes for, which the European 

 stone circles were erected, history gives us no information. 



Mr. George Petrie, indeed, has called Dr. Wilson's attention 

 to several cases in which the Orkney circles were mentioned 

 in old deeds, etc.J Thus, in 1349, William de Saint Michael 

 was summoned to attend a court held " apud stantes lapides 

 de Eane en le Garniach," to answer for his forcible detention 

 of certain ecclesiastical property; and in 1380, Alexander, 

 Lord of Eegality of Badenoch, and son of Eobert II., held a 

 court, "apud le standand stanys de la Eathe de Kyngucy 

 Estir," to inquire into the titles by which the Bishop of 

 Moray held certain of his lands. Even so late as the year 

 1438, we find a notice, that " John off Erwyne and WilL 

 Bernardson swor on the Hirdmane Stein before oure Lorde 

 ye Erie off Orknay and the gentiless off the cuntre." This 

 comparatively recent use of the stone circles does not, how- 

 ever, enable us to form any opinion as to the purpose for 

 which they were originally intended. 



It is perhaps more to the purpose to observe that both in 

 the Iliad (B. xviii.) and Odyssey (B. viii.) assemblies of elders 

 are mentioned as sitting in solemn conclave on stone seats 

 arranged in circles, but in the former case the seats are said 

 to have been polished. Many, however, of the British stone 

 circles were certainly sepulchral ; and it seems probable that 

 this was their original purpose ; but that, like other shrines, 

 they were subsequently used as temples. 



As regards stone pillars and tumuli, we are told, in Gen. 

 xxxi., that "Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar;" 



* Mceurs des Sauv. Amer. vol. ii. f Amer. Nat. vol. iv. p. 12. 

 p. 135. I have given a copy in the J Pre-historic Annals of Scot- 

 Origin of Civilization, 2nd eel. p. 179. land, 2nd edit. vol. i. p. 164. 



