341 



The stone which, for the sake of convenience, I have represented in an 

 upright position in the preceding Figure, is about 5 feet long, by from 1 7 

 inches, tapering to 1 1 inches broad, and, as far as I could ascertain, from 

 6 to 8 inches thick. It presents no appearance of ever having been 

 dressed with the chisel ; but, on what I suppose is the smoother side, is 

 inscribed three sets of well-defined rings. The sets or groups differ in 

 size, as the one at the base, or broadest part of the stone, is 15 inches in 

 diameter; the centre one 13, and the third only 11 inches. They all ap- 

 pear to have had the same number (four) of rings, with the exception of 

 the third, or top one, which seems to have had only three. The three sets 

 are connected with each other and both ends of the stone by almost 

 straight lines, which are now barely discernible. The larger set has in 

 addition two lines or grooves connecting the outward circle with each 

 side of the stone. The centres of the three sets are of a peculiar con- 

 struction, not consisting of the usual cup-shaped hollows, or rock basins, 

 found in connexion with inscriptions of a similar kind in other parts 

 of the country, but of bosses, having their apexes slightly under the 

 general surface of the stone. 



"Without venturing to express an opinion on a subject which has 

 occupied the attention of such a distinguished antiquary as the Bishop 

 of Limerick, I will only remark, that it is admitted by all I have con- 

 sulted on the subject that these kinds of carvings are of very great anti- 

 quity, and are, perhaps (as I have read somewhere), the remains of the 

 one primitive race which overspread the northern hemisphere of Europe 

 prior to the formation of the present tribes. I will also add, that the 

 following conjecture is worthy of consideration, namely, that the in- 

 scribed stone at Tullagh was the monument of some former chief, and 

 the carvings representing three shields were the symbols of his name, 

 rank, and tribe, similar to the distinctive marks, called " Totems," used 

 by the North American Indians of the present day. I subsequently 

 visited the old graveyard of Eathmichael, which is about half a mile from 

 Tullagh, for the purpose of seeing the two inscribed monuments the late 

 Dr. Petrie gives an account of in the " Dublin Examiner" for October, 

 1816, and referred to by the Bishop of Limerick. I found in the grave- 

 yard no less than six of these stones, all of them but two so defaced that 

 little is to be seen but the centre cups and parts of the rings. The two 

 I first mentioned are now used as modern head-stones, and probably, as 

 Dr. Petrie states, formed once the one monument. The rings compos- 

 ing the groups on these stones are pretty well defined, but not at all so 

 perfect or regular as those on the stone at Tullagh, nor have they the 

 bosses in their centre. 



I am strongly inclined to think, from the number of these stones at 

 Eathmichael, that at a remote period of this island's history there 

 existed, either there or in the immediate vicinity, a burial place of note; 

 and, further, from the fact that the stones vary so much in size, some 

 having only the remains of one group of rings, and no room for any 



E. I. A. PKOC VOL, X. 2 Z 



