58 Notes Antiquarian and Mythical, [no. 7, new series. 



such was generally the original meaning can be as little doubtful 

 as that the^May-day dances and poles in England are a relict of 

 the phallic rites of Pagan times. Setting aside the Druidical up- 

 right stones, generally sepulchral, and the figured or scriptured 

 stones, so perplexing to antiquaries in Scotland and elsewhere 

 there seems to have been a tendency in primaeval races to deify 

 mere rough stones or at least to choose them as symbols of their 

 gods. Even in the sacred writings Jehovah is emphatically called 

 the Stone of Israel — the Rock, (Gen. xlix. 24, Deut. xxxii. 4, 30 ? 

 31,) and Jacob called the stone he erected at Shalem El elohe 

 Israel — the God of Israel, (compare Exod. xvii. 15,) but these 

 plainly referred to the idea of strength and steadfastness. The 

 Alexandrine Chronicle relates that the Assyrians first set up a 

 rude pillar and worshipped it as a god, and Pausanias, expressly 

 affirms that in the most ancient times amongst the Greeks rough 

 stones (agyoi Xitfiot) were reverenced instead of images. The same 

 author mentions that Hercules was represented at Hyetta by a 

 rude stone according to ancient usage. So was Juno at Samos, 

 and even the Graces at Orchemenos. The ancient Laplanders 

 worshipped rough stones, called Seitch, and the adoration paid to 

 the same objects formed a principal feature in the religion of the 

 Arabians before Mahommed. Eusebius says the Earth was sym- 

 bolised by a cylindrical stone, and Mr. Masson reports that in the 

 temple dedicated to the goddess at the foot of the Kah Assa Mahi 

 (Hill of the Great Mother, i. e. Nature, — " Magna Mater.") Near 

 Cabul " a huge stone is the object of adoration." Michelet sees 

 traces of stone-worship in France in the numerous towns bearing 

 the name of Pierre Fiche, i. e. a rough unwrought stone simply 

 fixed in the ground like a post. 



It is not easy to penetrate the idea that led so many people in 

 such various countries, periods and stages of development, to 

 select rude stones, rather than other natural objects as emblems of 

 their religious conceptions. The sentiment is conceivable that 

 deified the sun, the heavenly bodies, the cow, rivers, &c. and a strik- 

 ing aerolite might here and there rivet the awe and worship of the 

 surrounding tribes, but it is not so clear why common shapeless 

 stones should so generally have been elevated to divine honours. 



