1872.] The Dolmen-Mounds of Brittany. 17 
flakes, that they are not native, as no flint is to be found in 
those localities, and that they must, therefore, have been 
imported. These implements sufficiently connect the African 
dolmens with the stone period of that country. 
Mr. Palmer, of St. John’s College, Cambridge, has recently 
given a most interesting account of some ancient remains 
which he discovered in the large tra¢t of desert country 
known as the Negeb, or South Country, and the Desert of 
Et Tih. 
These remains have been attributed to the Israelites 
during the exodus, or to their enemies, the Amalekites, and 
aboriginal tribes. They are evidently the remains of large 
encampments; the hill-sides, for instance, at Erweis el 
Ebeirig, are covered for more than a mile in every direction 
with curiously arranged stones ; the larger enclosures occu- 
pied by the more important personages, the hearths or fire- 
places, &c., are still distinétly to be traced, whilst there are 
traces of undoubted tombs outside. The Arabs call them 
mahattat (t.e. camping grounds), In connection with them 
are found nawdmis, or circular stone huts and circles, asso- 
ciated with cairns and kists. The description of these huts 
reminds us of the assemblages of tin-washers’ bee-hive 
stone huts and circles on Dartmoor, described by Mr. Spence 
Bate, and appears to belong to the samie type of rude 
dwellings—such as Picts’ houses, brochs, borgs, or broughs— 
which are found in Shetland, Orkney, Sutherlandshire, and 
Caithness, and described by Sir H. Dryden and Mr. Ander- 
son. The dimensions of these nawdmis average 7 feet high 
by 8 feet in diameter, with an oval top. In the centre of 
each is a cist, and besides that a smaller hole, both roughly 
lined with stones, covered with slabs of stone over which 
earth has accumulated. Human bones have been found in 
these cists, but never perfect skeletons. In the smaller cist 
the earth shows signs of having undergone the action of 
fire, and small pieces of charred wood and bone have been 
found. Flint arrow-heads have also been discovered in 
them. Mr. Palmer opened some cairns (the size of the 
largest of which was 20 feet in diameter, and height about 
4 feet) and circles, but found nothing but charcoal and 
burnt earth. He says, ‘‘ Whatever the people may have 
been, whether Amalekites or an older race, it seems nearly 
certain that they buried in cists, piled great cairns on the 
top, surrounded the whole with a stone circle in the case of 
more important personages, and offered sacrifices to the 
deceased in small open enclosures within the ring. These 
VOL. II. (N.S.) D 
