PA.IIT I. 



PHIMITIVE LAPIDARIAN SCULPTURES IN EUROPE AND ASIA 



SCOTLAND, ETC. 



Foremost among the works relating to the pecuhar kind of sculpture 

 under consideration stands that entitled "Archaic Sculptures of Cups, Cir- 

 cles, etc., upon Stones and Rocks in Scotland, England, and other Coun- 

 tries," by Professor J. Y. Simpson.* The author's descriptions chiefly relate 

 to the occurrence of cupped and other engraved stones in Scotland; but also 

 those that have been observed in England, Wales, Ireland, Brittany, Sweden, 

 and Denmark are mentioned by way of comparison. 



According to Professor Simpson, the cup-shaped cavities and other 

 sculptured figures (presently to be described) occur in the British Islands, 

 more especially in Scotland, as follows: — 



I. On stones connected with archaic sepulture, as — 



1. On stones of megalithic circles, 



2. On stones of megalithic avenues, 



3. On stones of dolmens, 



4. On chambered tumuli, 



5. On stone cists and covers of urns, 



6. On standing stones or monoliths. 



* Published In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Eighty-fifth Session 

 (1864-6r>) ; Ediuhurgh, 1867. The copy .at my disposal (from the Library of Congress) has no special title, 

 and I find that the work is quoted under different titles. I select that given by Professor Desor in his 

 essay on cup-stones. 



It is a rem.arkable fact that Sir James Y. Simpson, the distinguished and much-oeciipicd Edinburgh 

 physician, who first employed ana»thetics in obstetric practice, found leisure to devote himself to thorough 

 archffiological investigations, and to produce <a work of high imiit. 



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