306 



Markings. 



A large proportion of the stones examined present mark- 

 ings, especially the softer ones. The hard quartzite specimens 

 seldom, or never, exhibit them. The most common form 

 of marking is what we might call "tally marks" — small 

 incisions, single, in pairs, threes, or in linear series. There 

 may be as few as six, or as many as several hundreds. In 

 one specimen (1, pis. xiii. and xiv.) linear series of these 

 marks have been scored through by paired, parallel, longi- 

 tudinal marks, while other series are unscored. It is hardly 

 to be doubted that these are actually tallies recording a 

 number of objects or events. The keeping of tallies for 

 various purposes is well known as occurring amongst Aus- 

 tralian aborigines, and not unknown even amongst Europeans. 

 "Broad arrow" marks occur, and it is highly probable 

 that these, as in rock carvings and paintings, indicate emu 

 feet or even tracks [see illustration of rock carvings on 

 Burnett River (2)]. Their use on the cylindrical stones is a 

 mystery, unless we consider them the most frequent and most 

 easily executed form of aboriginal decoration. 



Circular markings may occur along the length of the 

 stone, or several may be present at the pointed end [fig. 1, 

 the Praeputial Rings" of Etheridge (3)]. These, apart from 

 the hooks and stars (1, pi. xiii.), certainly variants of the 

 emu track marks, exhaust the forms of sculpture observed on 

 the cylinders. 



Now the assigned uses of these stones are many and 

 various, and have been discussed at length by Etheridge (3, 

 pp. 3-18). He dismisses them all except oine, or possibly 

 two, as untenable. While on the slender evidence admitting 

 the possibility of the snake-fetish theory, he holds the Phallic 

 theory to be more tenable, in which view he is supported by 

 the authority of the late Sir Edward Stirling, F.R.S., and 

 Prof. J. W. Gregory. While direct evidence is unfortunately 

 wanting, and Gason in his account of the circumcision cere- 

 mony of the Dieri tribe expressly ornits details, he would 

 certainly have mentioned objects so striking if they had been 

 in common use. It would be well if we could follow up this 

 theory and see if there is any indirect evidence to support it. 

 The shape of the stones is at least suggestive, and Phallicism 

 is a widespread cult among primitive peoples, the world over, 

 and not unknown in higher civilizations. 



Schliemann, in Ilios, figures several objects in .stone and 

 marble found during excavations at ancient Troy, which he 

 supposes to be phalli or priapi. One of those figured on 

 p. 452, No. 682, bears a striking resemblance to the one 

 figured (fig. 1), even to the praeputial rings. The likeness 



