1919.] SCULPTURE OF A HUMAN FIGUJIP:. 217 



of Aveyron, Le Gard, Le Tarn, Herault and Bouches du Rhone, 

 of which those of Saint Sernin, Aveyron (fig. 3) and Les 

 Maurels, Tarn (fig. 4) are examples. These are thought by 

 M. J. Dechelette to be of the 1st Bronze Age. In Guernsey 

 the representation of this divinity followed the same evolution 

 from sculptured slab to statue-menhir as in South-Eastern 

 France, for no less than two statue-menhirs are still in 

 existence in the island. One, a very rude statue-menhir, was 

 discovered buried beneath the pavement at the entrance of the 

 chancel of the parish church of St. Mary du Castel, during its 

 restoration in the year 1878 (fig. 5). It is now in the church- 

 yard under a tree to the N.W. of the church. It is a rude 

 natural boulder roughly shaped into a human form, only the 

 head, shoulders and two female breasts being represented. 

 Round the top of the head is a narrow raised band, and a long 

 slightly raised' necklace extends from it to the two projecting 

 breasts. No attempt seems to have been made to represent the 

 features of the face, but the surface of the stone for some 

 distance below the band, where it naturally should have 

 appeared, has been carefully rubbed down to a smooth surface, 

 as if prepared for some object. At the back of the statue is a 

 slightly raised band across the shoulders If inches broad. 

 This statue-menhir must have been still an object of worship 

 on the introduction of Christianity into Guernsey in the sixth 

 century, when it was evidently thrown down and buried 

 beneath the pavement of the sanctuary of the New Faith, 

 erected undoubtedly on the site of an old heathen place of 

 worship. At the same time no doubt it was partly defaced as 

 the right breast has been broken off. 



There is no doubt that the cult of the divinity, represented 

 by the sculptured figure of the dolmen of Dehus and the 

 statue-menhir of the Castel, lasted on for long ages in Guernsey, 

 for the second statue-menhir, which now stands as a gate-post 

 between the two gates of the churchyard to the south of the 

 church of St. Martin, is of very much later date than that of 

 the Castel (fig. 6). It is one of the largest and best preserved 

 statue-menhirs in existence, far surpassing in size and execution 

 those of South-Eastern France. An attempt has been made by 

 the sculptor to model the face by making the chin project. 

 Around the forehead and extending down the left side of the 

 face is a row of eleven small circles or discs, and round the 

 neck are nine raised pendants — three on the left shoulder and 

 six in front ; none are visible on the right shoulder. These 

 may be intended to represent a torque, or, as has been suggested, 

 the folds of a hood or cloak. At the back of the statue there is 

 a deep groove 2 feet 11 inches in length, with an extension on 

 the upper part of the left side, which may be intended to repre- 

 sent another fold of the cloak. Unfortunately a churchwarden 



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