588 Megalithic Monuments of Brittany. 
Flint implements and chips and broken pottery are found about 
and among the alignments as elsewhere over the country, especially 
around the foot of the menhirs, showing a prehistoric occupation ; 
but no trace of the uses or purposes of the menhirs or alignments have 
ever been discovered. There have been many theories broached but no 
facts adduced sufficient to support them. They may have been called 
military camps or religious or other rendezvous for the people. 
They may have been tents. No trace has been found of their use 
as burial places, and so far as established by ascertained fact, the 
popular idea is as near the truth as any other, viz., that they were 
the columns of a sacreligious invading army, turned to stone by 
the wrath of an offended God. 
SCULPTURINGS. 
Many of these stones or monuments have marks or sculpturings 
on them. The menhirs of the alignments have cup markings only, 
and these are rare. In some cases they have been marked 
in with crosses, modern times, made sometimes by religious 
devotees, sometimes by the priests, done in order to prevent or 
break up any chance remaining pagan custom of worshipping, or 
revering, or employing these stones. The dolmens are marked 
with various signs, none of which have any discovered signification. 
They have received much attention and study, but without result. 
The sculptured monuments of Brittany are all near the sea-coast. 
Yet there is no rule and no unfformity. Many of them near the 
coast are without sculptures ; and this is true of an entire section or 
neighborhood ; again other dolmens in the interior will be sculp- 
tured. Do these different sculpturings represent the dwelling 
places of different tribes ? 
CON CLUSION, 
The story of these monuments has never been aai told. 
Their condition and position may be described, and that of the 
skeletons and articles or implements found. It is from these 
details that the history is to be obtained, of the prehistoric man who 
made them. They must be studied with intelligence and care. 
Comparisons must be made with other articles found in the same 
place and with the same articles in other places. A full treatment 
