240 THE RITUAL OF BARROWS AND CIRCLES. 



fare, strangers to the excess and luxury of rich men. The 

 Island is very populous, but of a cold climate, subject to frosts, 

 being under the [constellation of the] Bear." * 



Strabo, too, speaking of Ireland, says " the inhabitants of lerna 

 " are more savage than the Britons, feeding on human flesh, 

 " being enormous eaters, and deeming it commendable to devour 

 " their deceased fathers." f 



And here also, Strabo, who had never visited Ireland, expressly 

 excludes the Britons from his charge of cannibalism. 



Of the existence of this practice, there is however one 

 decisive test the presence of human bones that have been 

 split, to get out their marrow which (together with the thumbs 

 of children) is considered to be the most delicious part of the 

 body. 



Such split bones have been found on the shores of the Baltic, 

 and I have seen them in the island of Gotland, in circumstances 

 that make it certain that such feasting prevailed until after the 

 birth of Christ. But no split human bones have been discovered 

 in the barrows of England. 



Something must be said about a statement by St. Jerome, or 

 Hieronymus, who was born in Pannonia, travelled in Gaul, and, 

 whilst living at Bethlehem, wrote his violent tract against 

 Jovinian in the year 400. " Quid loquar," he says, " de caeteris 

 rationibus, quum ipse adolescentulus in Gallia viderim Atticottos, 

 gentem Britannicam, humanis vesci carnibus." J 



These men, the Atticotti, whom St. Jerome saw devouring 

 human flesh, are said by Ammianus Marcellinus, the historian, 

 who visited Gaul in 355, to have " harassed Britain in conjunction 

 with the Scots and Picts." They left their split bones on the 

 shores of the Baltic, they effected a lodgment in the extreme 

 north of Scotland, and invaded Ireland in A.D. 56. But these 

 men were not the builders of our barrows. 



V. ii. 21. 

 t IV. v. 4. 

 J Adv. Jovin, lib. ii. 



