200 
one of the triliths, and from a barrow at Abury came a beau- 
tiful specimen of what is known as the Nodulated or Grape 
Incense Cup.* 
On removing part of the rampart at Abury a vast quantity 
of bones of domestic animals was found which appeared to 
have been offered up in sacrifice. + 
These discoveries are evidence in favour of Mr Evans’ 
theory. 
Mr Evans, following in the footsteps of Mr Petrie, whose 
notes on Stonehenge I have not seen, is of opinion that the 
large stone circles were constructed gradually, and at intervals 
of time. 
The Khasis of North-East Bengal, whose stone circles have 
been described by Dr Hooker and Major Godwin-Austen, build 
their monuments piecemeal, raising a batch of stones now and 
again to appease the spirits of the dead, just, I suppose, as 
pilgrims throng to the shrine of some popular saint in Italy or 
France, and hang up around her image their votive offerings, 
when her special aid is needed, or some new wonder has been 
wrought by her intercession. 
Aristotle tells us that the Iberians set up pointed stones 
around the grave of a departed hero, each stone representing 
an enemy that he had slain. We find a similar tradition at 
Carnac, in Brittany. The avenues of grey stones stretching 
away towards the sea are, in the minds of the Bretons, a flymg 
host of pagans whom St. Cornelly has thus transformed. 
Mr Evans returns to the old explanation of Sarsen, and 
connects it with Saracen, 7.e., Pagan. The name of the Breton 
dolmen, known as Four du Sarasin, shows that the word is not 
peculiar to our country. At Ashdown, on Salisbury Plain, 
amongst the Derbyshire hills—wherever we find these rude 
monuments—traditions are lingering amongst the inhabitants 
of pagan armies turned to stone. 
Of course, as time rolls on, traditions change, and accom- 
modate themselves to new phases of social and religious usages. 
* See Drawing and Description in the Rev. A. C. Smith’s Abury, p. 145 
+ Page 197. 
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