360 



CROMLECH. 



Cromlech, that this appellation is bestowed on various stones of 

 N T~""' memorial. Those, however, who maintain that the 

 cromlech was for the immolation of mankind, find a 

 near analogy in the Hebrew words, signifying a con- 

 secrated or devoted stone or altar. 



We cannot doubt that those horrible rites, by which 

 men invoked the favour of heaven, or divined the 

 events of futurity, were practised here in the sacrifice 

 of their fellow creatures : for historians bear testimo- 

 ny to the fact. Nay, there is a mount in Ireland, 

 known by the name of Killing Hill to this day, ha- 

 ving a structure nearly approaching to a cromlech, on 

 the summit. In Iceland there is a stone called the 

 Killing Stone, though we know not whether a cromlech 

 be in the vicinity ; and the remembrance of men being 

 offered up on two pillars at Aries in France, is still 

 preserved to posterity. But Caesar, Tacitus, Diodorus, 

 and Strabo, all unite in describing the immolation of 

 human victims in these islands. The Druids were a 

 race of priests or augurs, who bore a sovereign sway 

 over the inhabitants ; they were exclusively entrusted 

 with the most solemn ceremonies, and could even select 

 an individual for a victim, where those properly de- 

 voted were wanting. They are said to have passed 

 from Britain into Gaul, where Diodorus thus speaks 

 of their divinations. " When enquiring into any im- 

 portant event, a most surprising and incredible ceremo- 

 ny is performed by them; for having poured a libation on 

 a human being destined for immolation, they strike him 

 on the breast with a sword, and both from the manner 

 of his fall, and the convulsions of his limbs, but still 

 more from the manner of the flowing of his blood, they 

 presage what is to happen." Tacitus, who has trans- 

 mitted so much of the history of our barbarous ances- 

 tors, tells us that they were wont ". to shed the blood 

 of captives on their altars, and to consult the gods from 

 the convulsions of men :" and Cassar seems to insinuate 

 that human victims were sometimes offered up in ful- 

 filment of private vows. Long afterwards his assertions 

 were proved in the close of the ninth century. Half- 

 dan, a prince of Norway, was overcome by Einar, earl 

 of Orkney, in the north of Scotland, who killed him, 

 and cut out his lungs for a sacrifice to Odin. 



Such being the case, it has been maintained by anti- 

 quarians, that no structure was equally suited for an 

 awful and solemn purpose as the cromlech. It was 

 formed of the rudest materials, as if in obedience to 

 that command, which enjoins, " If thou wilt make me 

 an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone; 

 for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted 

 it." Its site was such, that a view of it might be com- 

 manded by surrounding multitudes, which was further 

 promoted by its inclination; and this also hi facilitating 

 the flowing of the blood more readily, aided the augurs 

 to their divinations. The cromlech, in short, was an enor- 

 mous altar or scaffold whereon the chief Druid, if such 

 was his province, could stand and perform the solemn 

 rites of his religion before the assembled people ; and 

 the flat stone, frequently lying at a little distance, was a 

 fire hearth, whereon could be placed a burnt offering. 



The savage^customs of mankind, in other parts of the 

 world, afford too conclusive evidence, that superstition 

 has no pity ; and that it inculcates, that the blood of men 

 will propitiate the Deity; and in accomplishing immola- 

 tion, some analogies, with this apparent use of the crom- 

 lech, may be found. The sacrifice of human victims in 

 Mexico took place on the top of lofty altars or pyramids 

 ef stone in the temples, where each priest tore cut the 

 heart as Einar did the lungs of Halfdaji, aud cast the, 



body down. We believe also, that in Dahomy, the Cromlech, 

 victims with whose blood the king now " waters the *~^/~— / 

 graves of his ancestors," are all slaughtered, and that, 

 to the number of thousands, on scaffolds prepared for 

 the purpose. There, as among the ancient Britons, 

 the blood of captives is shed; and where human sacri- 

 fice is elsewhere practised, another custom, which they 

 seem to have had of offering up criminals, or the 

 lowest of the people, seems likewise known. Tacitus 

 distinctly relates, that the Druids had sacred groves 

 appropriated to their religious rites, which the Romans, 

 in horror at their iniquity, rooted out, while they threw 

 the celebrators into their own fires. 



Wormius considers the cromlech as an altar of obla- 

 tion. Ararum structitra apud nos varia est. Maxima 

 ex parte congesto ex terra constant tumulo, in cujus sum- 

 mitate tria ingeniia saxa, quartnm illudque majus, la- 

 tins ac planius sustine?it fulciunt ac sustenlaut, ut inslar 

 menses tribus fulcris innixaz eminent. 



Near to Albersdorf, on the confines of Holstein, there 

 stands a cromlech, and also one in the village of Bedel, 

 fey the river Elbe, on which it is yet customary for 

 people to make an oblation before commencing any 

 important undertaking. 



Undoubtedly, the reasons for believing that the crom- 

 lech was an altar of sacrifice are specious ; but although 

 there are many situations where all the principles above 

 detailed will strictly apply, there are cromlechs wliich, so 

 far as probability goes, could not be adapted for that pur- 

 pose. Some, in the first place, stand on the summit of 

 lofty hills, which no multitude could surround ; others 

 are absolutely convex on the upper surface, which would 

 effectually preclude the performance of any rites upon 

 it. Likewise, the height of several is so far above the 

 earth, and the highest part is so peculiarly placed, as to 

 be extremely unfavourable for being seen from below. 

 These circumstances have led intehigent antiquarians 

 to conclude, that the cromlech is simply a large kist- 

 vacn, or rude sepulchre, composed of several stones. 

 Human remains are frequently discovered, by digging 

 below them, or in the vicinity ; and on uncovering the 

 place of interment, under barrows and. cairns, a struc- 

 ture somewhat similar is occasionally discovered. The 

 inclination also sometimes towards the east is thought 

 " to be by way ef adoration, as the person therein in- 

 terred under it did when in the land of the living." 

 But we cannot admit, .that the discovery of human re- 

 mains proves the cromlech to have been used as a sepul- 

 chre ; for where is the spot almost throughout the world 

 which has not been a grave ? Besides, if it was an 

 altar, these may be the remains of the victim interred 

 beside it. More probably it is a monument of some 

 noted event, or to the memory of one deceased. If of 

 the latter description, it does not remount to the ear- 

 liest ages, for single stones of memorial marked the 

 site of interment. Jacob, to record the place of Ra- 

 chel's sepulture, " set a pillar on her grave ;" and the 

 difficulties that must have attended the erection of 

 such ponderous masses, could not be _ overcome by 

 a people unacquainted with the mechanical arts. Ma- 

 ny researches, however, for human remains have 

 been ineffectually made below and in the vicinity of 

 cromlechs, and some are in a situation which seems 

 almost as unsuitable for covering a grave, or for be- 

 ing a monument, as they are for an altar of sacrifice. 

 Were we to rest any thing on tradition, we should 

 say that it is rather more favourable to the cromlech 

 being a monument than an altar; andj pinions are not 

 wanting, especially that of Wormius, v/hich seem to 



