9^ 



On Supposed early Celtic 



[No. 33., 



origin. The customs of early Patans^ and neighbouring Siberians, 

 •were probably similar. 



As regards Cromlechs I find there is a two-fold supposition: 

 that they were places of sepulture or altars ; or mid-way, first 

 sepultures, and afterwards altars. In Denmark they would seem to 

 have been monuments raised over the burial places of kings. In An- 

 glesey they are supposed to have been altars ; or even a sort of plat- 

 form, from which the Druids addressed an audience. I find more- 

 over that the Kist-vaen and Cromlech had some similarity ; so that 

 the words came to be used interchangeably. But the Cromlech is 

 open at the sides and the top, supported by pillars; while the Kist- 

 vaen was closed at the sides, and more like a chest. These last 

 seem to be the predominating form in the Carnatic ; only it does not 

 cppear that the Kist-vaens were subterranean. But further there is a 

 Bingularity connected with the inquiry, and one which had not at- 

 tracted my attention, imtil drawn to it by the present subject. I 

 quote from the Ency. Britannica, Anglesey. " Bod-drudan or 



the habitations of the Druids, Tver Beirdd, or that of the bard, 

 and Bodoivyr, or that of the priests, are all of them hamlets, nearly 

 surrounding the seat of the chief Druid. At the last is a thick 

 Cromlech resting on three stones." I was previously aware that the 

 Pali and Sanscrit word, for knowledge, wise men, and wit or wisdom 

 was found in Saxon; but I did not before know that it entered the 

 ancient Britieh tongue. Here however we find the word, and as if it 

 were synonymous, or the same, with our common word abode; which 

 I doubt. 1 will not assert, but I suspect strongly, that the one almost 

 universal religion of Buddha (or the sage) was found among the 

 Druids. Bodowyr I take to be the old British of the word Bdddar^ 

 as the Bauddhas are usually termed in Tamil. 



In this paper it is not my intention to draw any positively final 

 conclusions ; but merely to offer data and suggestions, tending to final 

 results. 



In so far as any of the remains in question may be deemed Patan 

 in character, we may possibly trace them up to the first incursion of 

 the Moghuls from Delhi, which took place south of the Krishna river 

 A. D. 1312. They proceeded by way of Mysore ; and Madura was 

 captured by them A. D. 1324. They were drivenback 40 or 50 years 

 afterwards, by Camjpana-udiyar a Mysore chieftain ; and, as his in- 

 terposition is recorded as occurring at Trichinopoly, it is to be in- 

 ferred, that their retreat was by way of the modern Cai'natic* Yery 



