RTJDB STONE MONUMENTS OF CORNWALL. 201 



It has occurred to me that we may possibly connect such 

 holes in monuments, so evidently sepulchral, with the evidence 

 afforded by numerous barrows of the practice of the barrow- 

 builders of the art of trepanning, carried out, (albeit only with 

 flint tools), with exceeding skill. Their object seems to have been, 

 — reasoning from somewhat analagous customs among modern 

 tribes, to afford an outlet from the body, of a spirit supposed to 

 have caused disease, and particularly epilepsy. The belief that 

 spirits require to have egress provided them is widely prevalent 

 at the present day. Even in England and in Scotland now 

 there are localities where it is the custom, when anyone is dying, 

 to open the doors of the house to let the spirit pass more easily. 

 And it is not by any means an infrequent belief, whether among 

 the followers of certain religions in the ancient East, or among 

 more or less savage tribes in the modern West (indeed we find 

 the dogma all the world over), that the spirit remains by the 

 body until decay destroys its accustomed habitation. It was 

 therefore the most natural thing in the world for adherents of 

 cults embracing this article of faith, to provide an opening for 

 the departure of the spirit when the progress of decomposition 

 had released it. And this really seems to be the explanation of 

 the openings in modern Indian cromlechs. At first distinctly 

 utilitarian and actual, such things always tend to become more 

 and more indicative and ritual. And all this fits in with the 

 custom noted from several western kist-vaens — and very familiar 

 elsewhere — of placing, with the dead, food and others matters 

 presumed to be required by the spirit on the final passage to 

 the hereafter. 



A further fact in connection with the Men-an-Tol itself is 

 specially important, and brings it well into line with other rude 

 stone groups in the county. It runs N.E. and S.W., which we 

 shall find correspond, with slight variation, with the general 

 orientation of undoubted sepulchral monuments of presumably 

 the same age. Thus the kist at Grugith, The Trethevy 

 cromlech. Chambers at Tregiffian, and Ballowal, all point N.E. 

 and S.W. Kists near the Stripple Stones and the Nine Maidens 

 only vary to N.N.E. and S.S.W. The Mulfra and Chun 

 cromlechs, with interments at Ballowal, Tregaseal, and 

 Pennance, point N.W. and S.E., closely followed by the N.N. W. 



