1852.] 



Northern Antiquities, 



135 



kindred events is proved on much more direct evidence than that of 

 mere general resemblance, striking as this is : there are certain most 

 remarkable symbols, of which the following are specimens, the mean- 

 ings of which have never been attempted to be explained, that are 

 common to one or more, if not nearly all the stones :— 



The first of these is a crescent or cunette, found, however, more or 

 less richly ornamented, and which is sometimes represented by itself ; 

 sometimes it is cut by the second symbol in the series, a zig-zag, with 

 sceptre-heads at either extremity. This again, is often blazoned on 

 with a couple of circles of equal size, connected together by two bars ; 

 sometimes it is intertwined by a curved snake, but it is always in its 

 own leading features the same. The third symbol is a pair of cuts 



