104 STONE REMAINS OF BRITTANY. 
set up as if balanced on their pointed end, and would seem to 
be in some cases boulders, in others rolled stones from the sea 
«coast, where similar ones may still be seen. In connection 
with this it is to be remembered that the centuries have seen a 
mighty advance by the Western Sea on the ancient coast line of 
Brittany. 
The fact of Menhirs having been built into walls, which 
were obviously of early Roman origin, proves that the alignments 
are older than the walls, and consequently anterior to the 
Roman occupation. But the evidence of their being much older 
comes out more decisively from the deep groovings on the 
eleventh Menhir of the tenth alignment, which now lies on its 
side, but at one time stood erect. It is obvious that these deep 
groovings had been produced by an exposure for centuries to 
atmospheric action, and that these grooves which exist on the 
south end alone could not have been produced during the period 
of its position on its side lengthways and covered with earth. The 
conclusion, therefore, is inevitable that it must have stood erect 
for many centuries before the construction of the west wall of 
the Roman camp, and that period, if we could ascertain it, 
would indicate the date of the alignments. The grooved weather 
markings on the summit of many of the Menhirs standing erect 
in the alignments are more or less deep according to the grain 
of the stone. For, unfortunately, the granite of which they are 
composed is not all of the same nature. If it were so the depth 
of the markings would serve in some measure as a basis for 
calculating their age. It is, however, impossible by this pro- 
cedure to arrive at any exact result. 
The names of the three alignments of Carnac would in a 
measure indicate a sepulchral use. They are named Kerlescant, 
corrupted probably from Kerlosquet (burnt town or town of 
burning) by allusion to cremation, Kermario—village of the 
dead, and le Menec, place of the stones. 
It is the same for analagous monuments in other parts of 
the country. 
The orientation of the alignments varying from E. to 
E.S.E., that is in the line of the equinox and of the solstices, is 
held to indicate their having been places of assembly for sun 
worship. According to Combry, the celebrated La Tour 
d’ Auvergne, states in his “ Origines Altiques ’’ that the constant 
