Macaustkr — Temair Breg : Remains and Traditions of Tara. 395 



The Cretan labyrinth is represented on Cretan coins under a well-known 

 conventional form (fig. Ad). This form closely resemble* a type of pelroghph 

 common in this country, consisting of a series of concentric circles sur- 

 rounding a central cup-hollow, with a single radial groove cutting across the 

 circles and projecting outside them (fig. 4e). This analogy was first pointed 

 out, so far as 1 am aware, in an otherwise eccentric and unconvincing book ;' 

 but in spite of the shortcomings of the setting, the comparison is in my opinion 

 sound. It is not to be supposed that the petroglyphs are copied from specimens 

 of the coins that have found their way into Northern Europe. There are 

 chronological difficulties in the way of such an idea, as well as psychological 

 difficulties. I cannot believe that the bronze-age inhabitants of the district 

 round Lochgilphead in Argyllshire, let us say — where such petroglyphs occur 

 almost by the hundred — were so delighted with the labyrinthine patterns on 

 a chance Cretan coin which came their way that they took the trouble to 

 copy them endlessly on hard rock. The figure must have had a real living 

 meaning for the Lochgilphead people to have induced them to expend so 

 much labour. As in the case of the New Grange spirals, we explain the 

 related patterns as cognate, but not affiliated. They have the same meaning — 

 the crystallization of a sun-dance ; but the northern carvings remain rude 

 and barbarous ; the Cretan coins are civilized into an artistic form. Attention 

 is also called, in Dr. Krause's book, 2 to the Ronlan "Troy " game, founded on 

 a labyrinth, and to certain labyrinths marked out in the earth, especially in 

 Scandinavia, Finland, and Lapland. I am not quite clear what place these 

 have hi the scheme ; for one thing, their history and their date appear to be 

 very uncertain. Returning to the petroglyphs, especially important is a series 

 at Mevagh, Co. Donegal, if we can trust the accuracy of the drawing which 

 has been published of these remarkable designs.- 1 Some of them represent 

 groups of circles with two radial grooves, only one «/ vlii<-h reaches the outer 

 circumference. It is, in fact, a labyrinth with one entrance, but with a 

 complication in the interior suggested (tig. 4,/'). 



There is another conventional type of the labyrinth as figured oh Cretan 

 stones, designed on the basis of the swastika. If then' be anything in what 

 was just now suggested, .that the swastika is an attempt l<> represent the 

 whirling bull-roarer, and if the sculpture in New Grange may be taken as 

 indicating that the bull-roarer accompanied the Buh-dance, this form of the 

 Cretan design becomes the more intelligible. 



1 Die Trojaburyen Xonl< a, t r ,t., \<\ Dr. Ernst Knmse. Glogau, 1893. 



'This work is not easily accessible in the libraries of this 'country, but a sufficient 



abstract of its contents will be found in Conk's /. its, vol. i. up. 481 190 

 3 Journal Roy. Hist, and Aicli Assu of Ireland, IV, \m, 4-Jli. 



