ancient grave, takes away all primâ facie improbability from the suggested age of the other. From its form, Stukeley's appears to be the older of the two; but wo have no chronometric scale for bridle-bits.
All these things make this grave look as if it were very modern; but on the outside of the stones forming the cist were engraved a variety of figures which are of interest as a means of comparison with the Irish and Danish engravings we shall meet with hereafter. They are not very artistically drawn, and are probably worse engraved; but it is easy to recognize the cross in the circle. There are the concentric circles with dots in the centre and straight lines proceeding from them and other figures found on rocks and elsewhere, which antiquaries have hitherto been inclined to ascribe to a primæval antiquity, but which this tomb would bring down at least to the Yiking age—of which more hereafter.
The circle of cists on Mule Hill, in the Isle of Man, are interesting from another cause; for unfortunately they all have been laid bare and rifled before any antiquary took cognisance of them, and we have consequently nothing by which their date can be even guessed at. Their interest lies in their arrangement, which is that of eight cists arranged in a circle, with, it would seem, others at right angles at certain intervals.[1] From simple inspection it is
- ↑ 'Archæologia Cambriensis,' third series, vol. xii. p. 54. A fancy plan of the same circle appears ia the same volume, but is utterly untrustworthy. It is reproduced by Waring, 'Mon.' &c. pl. xli.
