96 
which had just been broken up for planting, but they were 
too few to afford ground for adopting his view. I have 
likewise found fragments of similar vessels and flint imple- 
ments in the disturbed earth of the avenues ; but there is no 
proof of careful interments, such as we observe in the 
Dolmens or sepulchral stone chambers. The soil in most 
parts is not more than six inches thick, and rests upon a bed 
of granite. 
With regard to isolated menhirs there may be less diffi- 
culty in arriving at a safe conclusion. They are very 
frequently found associated with structures whose destination 
was strictly sepulchral. They may have been raised, there- 
fore, to commemorate the death of those whose bodies rest in 
the tombs at their feet ; or they may be symbols of presiding 
divinities watching over and sanctifying spots which the 
spirits of the dead may be supposed to haunt. At Locma- 
riaker, the tombs are of such colossal proportions as to induce 
the belief that heroes of no common order died and were 
interred there. Accordingly we find menhirs of much 
larger dimensions than at Carnac, close to the sepulchres, 
and one menhir, in particular, of astonishing size, measuring 
67 feet 6 inches in length. Circles also sometimes form part 
of sepulchral monuments. It is possible, therefore, that 
groups of pillars arranged in lines and in circles, and associated 
together , may have served a purpose in some way connected with 
the funeral rites or solemnities that preceded interment. 
There is a feature which is common both to groups of 
rows of stones and to the sepulchres, which may help to 
throw some light on the subject, viz., their orientation. By 
far the larger number of the sepulchral monuments — those, I 
mean, which are usually termed Dolmens — have their openings 
or entrances between the east and south points of the 
compass, i.e., nearly ninety per cent, are so turned, which it 
must be admitted cannot be an accidental circumstance. So, 
