THE STONE CIRCLES OF CORNWALL AND SCOTLAND. 381 



of this type of circle which, are to be found outside the district 

 immediately round Inverness are in easy communication with it 

 by water, so that, while smaller and simpler circles are to be 

 found mixed with these in the Inverness district, this type is 

 peculiar to it, and may be called the "Inverness type." 



Aberdeen is the centre of another group of circles as 

 numerous as those surrounding Inverness, but differing from 

 them and from all others, though here again circles of other 

 types may be found mixed with them. The special Aberdeen 

 ty|)e which is not found elsewhere is a single ring of large pillar 

 stones, between the two highest of which a great oblong stone is 

 set on one of its long edges, occupying all the space between 

 them, and sometimes kept in place by four smaller stones set in 

 the ground, one at each end of each side ; this is locally caUed 

 the "altar-stone," though it could never have been what we 

 understand by an altar ; in the middle of the ring there is 

 usually a low tumulus with a kist, and sometimes a continuous 

 circle of small stones round the tumulus. Dr. Grarden, of 

 Aberdeen University, writing to Aubrey more than two hundred 

 years ago, said the immemorial tradition was that these circles 

 were j)laces of worship in heathen times, a tradition which it 

 appears to me should not be put aside lightly, although, having 

 regard to the number of these circles and the fact that they 

 usually have cists in the middle, I imagine that the ceremonies 

 which probably took place in front of the "altar-stone" were 

 more in the nature of ancestor-worship than of sun or star 

 observance or worship. The "altar-stone" is usually at the 

 south of the circle facing north. 



As the distance between the nearest points of the Aberdeen 

 and Inverness districts is probably not more than lifty miles, it 

 would seem that there must have been a considerable separation, 

 either of race or time, between the tribes who erected monuments 

 of such different construction in districts so near together, and 

 this is a point which should be taken into consideration in 

 attempting to unravel the early history of that part of the 

 country. It has also been observed that the inscribed stones and 

 the brochs, which however probably belong to periods different 

 from each other and from the circles, seem to have their centre 



