,566 Colonel 2'od^s Observations on a Gold Ring found at Montrose. 



" tronque, el pour socle une bordure en forme de coquille ;" but this socle,* or 

 plinth to the symbol of Belenus, is described as having a small basin 

 attached with a rigode or channel for the lustrations to flow off, doubtless 

 the T/oni of Hindu adoration. A rude statue of the goddess seated on an 

 altar, in form an Isoceles triangle, the especial sign of the followers of 

 Iswara,f yields full proof of the identity of this religion.t I shall 

 rest satisfied with one more quotation : " Si I'on examine avec atten- 

 " tio7i les signes, tant sous forme de disque, que sous celui de cone tronque, 

 " ou de tronion de colonne, on demeure bientbt convaincu quails etaient, pour 

 " nos ancetres, une symbole de religion ;" and he justly concludes, "jesuis cer- 

 " tain que ce systeme religieux a pris naissance en Asie."X Contrary to the 

 declamation of many authorities against the Celts, who are denied even 

 capabiUty of improvement, § Monsieur Barailon rates their attainments 

 highly, and quotes Diodorus Siculus to prove that " they worked skilfully 

 " in gold, silver, brass, and iron ; that they formed the first of these metals 

 " into collars and rings, the second into casques and cuirasses, and with 

 " the third ornamented their sword-belts ; that they had reached great 

 " perfection in the art of dyeing, and the fabrication of stuffs," and quotes 

 Dion Chrystosome on the magnificence of their kings ; Polybius and 

 Florus on the beauty of their war-chariots, which were painted and gilded ; 

 and moreover states, that they coined the precious metals,|| which coins are 

 still discovered in their old cities, and many of which exist in the " Cabinet 

 des Mcdailles" at Paris. 



Thus we see that this peculiar symbolic worship of Isis amongst the 

 Celto-Etruscan colonists of Italy, and the Celtic tribe of Gaul, is perfectly 

 analogous with the Egyptian (as recorded by Herodotus), with the Israelitic 

 of old, and the Hindu of this present day ; and the boat or Ark, also sym- 

 bolic of this divinity, alike characterized her rites amongst the Celts and 



* " 55. Le socle de celles qui sont isolees, est en coquille, et I'une d'elles est entierement 

 " cannelee. — p. 370. 



" 57. Ce monument a des cannelures a les extr^mitSs, celle qui rgpond a I'orient a une 

 " bordure en caquille, et I'opposee un mamelon pyramidal a sa surface superieure." — Re- 

 " cherches sur ToulL 



f I presented to the Society last year the triangular signet of Siva, with which his worshippers 

 are impressed at his shrines and places of pilgrimage. 



f " Recherches sur plusieurs Monumens Celtiques, p. 378. § Pinkerton, etc. 



II I obtained several silver Celtic medals at Lyons five years ago, with the Celtic characters 

 and the effigies of a horse thereon. 



