KAU.j COMMENTS BY SIMPSON. 79 



did not initiate in — was at least continued into, and indeed extended during 

 the so-called Bronze era, and perhaps till a later period ; for bronze tools 

 and ornaments have occasionally been found in localities in Argyleshire, 

 Northumberland, and elsewhere near to spots where the sculptures exist in 

 unusual numbers ; though none yet have been discovered, as far as I am 

 aware, in immediate or direct connection with these carved stones or cists 

 themselves" (pages 119, 120). 



Professor Simpson's remarks concerning the race that first introduced 

 the carving of the lapidarian cup and ring-sculptures are of great interest. 

 The earliest really historical records of Britain, he observes, date from the 

 time of Julius Caesar's expeditions to the island, antedating the Christian 

 era about half a century. At that period the population appears to have 

 chiefly consisted of Celts, with an admixture of Belgian and probably of 

 Ligurian elements. When Scotland was first invaded by the Eomans (81 

 after Christ), the inhabitants made use of war chariots, and, having already 

 passed through the era of bronze weapons, fought in the battle of the 

 Grampian Mountains, in which Agricola defeated the native forces under 

 Galgacus, with huge blunt-pointed swords (enormes gladii sine mucrone)* 

 which form of weapon, Simpson thinks, can only be supposed to have been 

 made of iron. 



The remarks following next in his work (page 125) are of such striking 

 character that I cannot refrain from quoting them in full. He says: — 



"We have no adequate data as yet to fix the date of advent to our 

 shores of the Cymry and Gael, and to determine whether or not they brought 

 along with them, at their first arrival, as some hold, a knowledge of the 

 metallui'gic arts. But much evidence has been gradually accumulating of 

 late years to prove that there had existed some pre-Celtic races in Britain. 

 Without venturing in the least to point out all, let me simply note two or 

 three. A race of Megalithic Builders — if we may so call them — who have 

 not left in their sepulchres, and therefore we infer did not possess, in their 

 earlier era at least, any metal tools or weapons, seem to have either pre- 

 ceded the Celts, or to have formed our first Celtic or Aryan wave ; and 

 judging from the extent of their remains in massive chambered catacombs 



* Tacitus: Vita Agricola;, XXXVI. 



