592 The American Naturalist. [June, 
twenty years, with skull abnormal, with numerous os wormiens, and 
possibly artificially deformed, following a custom that prevailed in the 
east of Gaul. The skeleton still carried about the neck and on the 
arms beads of amber of large size and great number. On a bronze 
wire were strung the small beads of glass, amber, coral, a boar’s tooth, 
pebbles, fossil shells, and a small statuette. The latter was anterior to 
the Roman epoch, but was similar to those which have been found in 
the Departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Argovie, Hungary, and in 
Caucase, and was a new evidence of the relations between Gaul and 
the Orient. z 
Monsieur Cartailhac presented the results of an archeologic voyage 
made by him to the Balearie Isles. He showed a most beautiful series 
of photographs, which represented the ancient city and edifices, and 
the objects most notable belonging thereto. 
(To be continued.) 
Remains of the Worship of Ashtaroth in Palestine.—To 
this day the fe//aheen (peasants) of Palestine have the custom of 
ascending some high place, at the full of the moon, and pouring out 
olive oil, as an oblation, on some particular rock, long used for the 
purpose, and having a hollowed space on top,—being, in fact, a rude 
sort of altar. When questioned on the subject, they can give no 
reason for the act, except that it is an old custom,—that their fore- 
athers did so from time immemorial. As they are Mohammedans, 
and therefore abhor all idolatrous practices, this is all the more 
remarkable. It seems to be unquestionably a remnant of the ancient 
worship of Ashtaroth, the two-horned or crescent-bearing goddess, 
and which once prevailed so extensively in this country. 
Ashtaroth was especially the goddess of the Zidonians, and the 
Israelites fell at once into the idolatry when they slew the Zidonians 
at Dan, preserving the idol and the priests of this people, in order to 
continue the abomination. The worship of Ashtaroth was set up in 
Jerusalem, and on the hills in its vicinity, King Solomon himself 
building high places for the purpose, and participating therein. In- 
teresting indications of this are revealed at the present date. From 
time to time images of the goddess are found in excavating in Jerusa- 
lem and its neighborhood, as well as in the Moabite country, where 
this form of idolatry greatly prevailed. These idols are of terra-cotta 
or baked red clay, and are about from seven to eight inches high. 
They are usually hollow within, and represent the goddess draped, but 
with bare, protuberant breasts, and wearing a tire or moon-shaped 
ornament on the head. 
