396 



a number of carvings of a singularly interesting character, precisely- 

 analogous to designs which are to be found upon monuments of an 

 undoubtedly pagan origin. In this instance, however, the carvings 

 are uniquely elaborated in a manner which will be better understood 

 by reference to the accompanying woodcut than by the aid of any 

 mere verbal description. The period of transition, from the pri- 

 mitive scoring which occurs upon the rock at Ryefield (disco- 

 vered and illustrated by the late Mr. G. Y. Du Noyer), and upon 

 the walls of several of our early sepulchral monuments, to that style of 

 art which culminated in the glories of the " opus Sibernicum > u 'has not, 

 as far as I am aware, been ascertained. Indeed, the origin of our in- 

 terlaced patterns and scrolls usually described " Celtic" is involved 

 in the deepest mystery. Whence the derivation of the style, as 

 well as the period when it was first introduced, are questions as yet 

 unanswered. From the extreme scarcity of existing examples, in 

 which an early style of stone or rock carving appears blended with or 

 modified by work of a later and perhaps Christian period a consideration 

 of a portion of the engravings at "Gillie's Hole" will afford a subject of 

 high interest to the archaeologist. In Pig. 1, sheet 1 , of the illustrations, 



SHEET, i 

 FIG. 



FIG. 2 



FIG.l 



SHEET. 2 



drawn one-third of the real size, will be recognized a design very com- 

 mon in carving usually referred to pagan times. It is simply a diagonal 

 cross enclosed within a quadrangle. The figure, however, is here 

 elaborated by the introduction of two lines running parallel to the 



