6 The Dolmen-Mounds of Brittany. [January, 
cap-stone of the Table des Marchands; the peculiar pattern, 
which is generally understood as representing the hafted 
celt, occurs in all the latter dolmens as well as in the 
chamber of the tumulus at Kercado. There may.be some 
analogy between this memorial tablet being buried at the 
entrance to the chamber under the enormous galgal, and 
the ancient custom of the Scandinavians, as shown by the 
finding of rune-stones inside the cairn during the oldest 
period of the iron age; whilst the rich decorations and 
hieroglyphics beautifully inscribed on the sarcophagi of the 
Egyptian and Oriental tombs point in the same direction. 
The fact of some of these rude characters being surrounded 
with a species of cartouche or label in the case of the 
Manné-er-H’roék inscription is worth noticing from the fact 
that it is also found according to Professor Stephens, of 
Copenhagen, enclosing Runic characters, but only of the 
most ancient description, whilst its frequent appearance on 
Egyptian and Phoenician monuments is well known. On 
the pavement of flat stones in the interior of the chamber 
were found exposed two celts and a ring, both of jadeite, 
with three jasper pendants. The ring is partly oval, flat, and 
polished, and is the only one of its kind in the Museum at 
Vannes. Somewhat similar rings have been found in 
Guernsey, where they are in Mr. Lukis’s Museum. One of 
these shows signs of wear, and it is conjectured that they 
were probably worn as a gorget ;* they are too small for the 
wrist. But perhaps the most remarkable feature in the 
exploration of this chamber was yet to follow, and that was 
the discovery under the pavement before-mentioned of the 
extraordinary number of 101 celts, gt of which were of 
fibrolite, small, sharp, and perfect, whilst the larger ones 
of jade, diorite, &c., were more or less fractured; some of 
these last are noticeable as being pierced for the purposes of 
suspension. 
Such an unprecedented find of celts has never before or 
since been equalled, at least in Europe; whilst the enormous 
proportion composed of that rare material called jfibrolite, 
which is not known in Europe as a native substance, is also 
astonishing. 
The significant facts, that all the small fibrolite celts are 
in good preservation and appear to have never been used, 
whilst the rougher and larger specimens show signs of wear, 
* Flint Chips, p. 104. By E. T. Srevens, Hon. Curator of the Blackmore 
Museum. 
