412 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



Achsei, though they claimed to be of the Pelasgian 

 family, and the oldest of Greek colonists in Europe, 

 came from the Maeotic estuary near Colchis. They 

 were, as the name indicates, serpent worshippers, or 

 builders of Dracontia, like the Cadmeans, the Col- 

 chians, and other nations of Asia Minor. 



THE TIRYNTHIANS. 



THE Tirynthians, referred to the Cyclopean race, seem 

 to have been a still more early clan of the Pelasgian 

 family; and it may be remarked, that a fair -haired 

 nation, with a blue round tribal spot painted between 

 the eyebrows, is represented on Egyptian monuments, 

 wearing mantles of peltry, apparently cow hides a 

 costume which corroborates the meaning of Pelas- 

 gians ; but as they wear ostrich feathers in the hair, 

 it is evident that these figures refer to clans who had 

 forced their way to the south of the mountain chains ; 

 and if they do not represent giant tribes of Palestine, 

 that they possessed territory in Mesopotamia, and be- 

 longed to that Teutonic race which mixed early with 

 the Arabs before noticed. These observations are not 

 opposed by the actions of the legendary Hercules at 

 Tyrins. The Heraclidae were of the same Pelasgian 

 stem ; and if the name be a mutation of Erck, Erk, 

 they may be fairly referred to the Giant Finns, whose 

 tribes constituted the Tyrhenians, the Raseni, and the 

 subsequent conquerors of the north-west of Europe. 



