Recent Archaeological Explorations in Co. Sligo. 53 



Kings of Denmark were crowned in a circle of stones ; the 

 Kings of Sweden were crowned on a stone, around which was a 

 circle of stones on which the nobles sat ; the Saxon Kings were 

 crowned on a stone ; and the British Sovereigns are crowned 

 with a stone placed underneath the coronation chair. The 

 Kings of Ireland were crowned on a stone at Tara. The O'Neills 

 were crowned on a stone seat which is now in the Co. Sligo. 



A very peculiar custom which throws light on Druidical stone 

 circles was referred to. The bards from Wales assembled in the 

 gardens of the Temple, London, in November last, to hold a 

 meeting called a Gorsedd. Twelve stones were placed on the 

 ground, forming a circle ; a large stone was placed in the centre. 

 When the ceremony commenced, the bard, who on this occa- 

 sion represented the Arch Druid — a venerable man of eighty 

 years — who stood on the central stone, and turning his face to 

 the east commenced the ceremonies of the bards, which custom 

 has been handed down from ancient times. Tradition requires 

 that these Gorsedden, or meetings of the bards, shall be held in 

 the eye of the light and the face of the sun. The large boulder, 

 surrounded by a circle of stones as previously described, may 

 have been used for some such purpose, or in the inauguration 

 of chiefs. 



It is said the Kings of Sweden were crowned on a stone 

 within a circle of stones, and for each king thus crowned an 

 upright stone was placed in position as a memorial of the event, 

 so that by counting these upright monumental stones the 

 number of kings crowned there could be known. As already 

 stated, Irish chiefs were inaugurated on a stone, as related by 

 Spenser ; that being so, might account for the large boulders 

 within the circle, while the ten stones in line might have 

 been erected as in Sweden, to represent the number there 

 inaugurated. 



The lecturer concluded by referring to the burial of Absalom, 

 over whom, when interred, a great heap of stones was placed, 

 like the cairns of the ancient Irish. He also quoted the burial 

 of Hector as an illustration of another mode of sepulture 



