SculpturesonthemenhirsofthecoveredavenueofGavr’innis。
　　Therehasbeenagooddealofdiscussionabouttheorientationofmegalithicmonuments，andthetruthonthatpointonceascertained，somelightmightbethrownontheaimofthebuilders。Itisevident，however，thatthereneverwasanygeneralsystemoforientation。ThedolmensofMorbihan，itistrue，nearlyallfacetheeast，doubtlessinhomagetothesunrisinginitssplendor；butthisisnotthecaseinFinistere，andthedolmensofKervinionandKervardel，forinstance，aresetduenorthandsouth。LeavingBrittany，wearetoldbytheRev。W。LukisthatthepositionofthemegalithicmonumentsofEnglandvariesconsiderably：mostofthedolmensofBerry，Poitou，Aveyron，andtheislandofBornholm，facewest；andthoseofAlgeriaaresetsouthwest，andnortheast，sothatitisreallyimpossibletocometoanyfinalconclusion。
　　Someofthemegalithicmonumentsalreadynoticedhaveapeculiaritytowhichwemustreferhereonaccountofitsimportance。Oneofthesupports，innearlyeverycasethatwhichclosestheentrance，ispiercedwithacircularopening。Sometimes，however，theopeningisellipticalorsquare。
　　DolmenwithopeningIndia。
　　WemeetwithdolmensthusdistinguishedinIndiaFig。69，inSweden，inAlgeria，inFrance，andinPalestine，wheretheyareoftenassociatedwithsepulchralnicheshewnoutoftherockandalsopiercedwithanopeningcorrespondingwiththatoftheentrance。InAlemtejoSpain，squareopeningsoccur。WestofKarlebyinSweden，isasepulchralchamberabouttwenty-ninefeetlong，madeofslabssetupright，allthosefacingsouthbeingpiercedwithanearlycircularopening；andontheshoresoftheBlackSeadolmensmadeoffouruprightstonessurmountedbyaslab，have，ineverycase，oneoftheuprightspiercedwithanartificialopeningaboutsixinchesindiameter。Thesedolmensaresaidbythecountrypeopletohavebeensetupbyaraceofgiantswhobuiltthemassheltersforadwarfpeopleonwhomtheyhadcompassion。
　　DolmennearTrieOise。
　　InFrance，dolmenswithopeningsaresonumerousthatitisdifficulttomakeaselection。ThatknownasLaJustice，nearBeaumont-sur-Oise，consistsofasmallvestibuleandaverylongmortuarychamber，separatedbyaslabpiercedwitharoundopening。WemustalsomentionthemegalithicmonumentofVillers-Saint-SepulchreatTrieOise
　　Fig。70，thatofGrand-Mont，withmanyofthoseofMorbihan，ofwhichthatofKerlescanthasanovalopening；thecoveredavenueofConflans-Sainte-Honorine，originallyerectedattheconfluenceoftheSeineandOise，andnowsetupexactlyasitwasfoundatSaintGermain，hasanovalopening，andpresentstheexceptionalfeature，ofwhichIknownootherinstance，ofhavingastoneforclosingtheopeningifnecessary；thecoveredavenueofBellehayeinNormandy，reproducedwithprecisionattheParisExhibitionof1889，whichwasclosedbyatransversestonewithanopeningsomeinchesindiameter。
　　OfEnglishexampleswemaymentionthedolmensofRodmartenandAvening；MerimeequotesseveralmegalithicmonumentsinWiltshire；
　　andSirJ。Simpson，thewell-knownandoft-describedKIT’SCOTTY
　　HOUSE，whichisnothingmorethanadolmenwithanopening。HOLED
　　STONES，astheyarecalled，arenumerousinCornwall，thesizeoftheopeningvaryingconsiderably；thatatMen-an-Tol，forinstance，ismorethanafootindiameter，whilstothersarebutafewincheslong。AtOrry’sGrave，intheIsleofMan，twolargestonesaresoplacedastoleaveacircularspacebetweenthem，whichwasevidentlyintendedtoservethesamepurpose，oratleastwasinaccordancewiththesamesuperstition，asweresimilarcharacteristicselsewhere。Settingasidetheinterminablelegendsconnectedwithdolmenshavingopenings，thereisnodoubtthatthispeculiarityofstructure，whichwemeetwithinIndiaasinScandinavia，intheCaucasusasinFrance，showsthatthebuildersofallofthemwereimpelledbyasimilaridea。Theseopeningsaretoosmalltoallowoftheintroductionofothercorpses，ortoaffordtothelivingarefugeinthehomeofthedead；theycouldbuthaveservedforthepassinginoffood，ofwhichasupplywassooftenleftforthedeparted；oryetanotherinterpretationispossible：theymayhavebeenleftforthesoulorthespirittoleaveitsearthlyprisonandtakeflightforthosehappyregionsinwhichallracesmoreorlessbelieve，andtowhichbelieftheseopeningsmaybewitnessedtothepresentday。M。Cartailhac，however，hazardsyetanotherexplanation，andsuggeststhatthemegalithicmonumentswereintendedfortheintermentofwholefamilies，andthatthebodieswerenotintroducedintothetombsuntilallthefleshwasgone，whentheskeletonsmighthavebeenslippedthroughtheopeningsleftforthatpurpose。Therepeateddisturbancesoftheremainsinthegraveshaveunfortunatelyoftenentirelydispersedallthehumanbones。
　　ItwasinBrittanythattheartoferectingdolmensreacheditsfullestdevelopment，anditistherethattherelicsfoundinthetombsareofthemostimportantcharacter。Nowheredowefindweaponsmorecarefullypreserved，moredelicatelyfinishedornamentsofamoreremarkablekind。TheMuseumofVannes，wheremostofthevaluableobjectsfoundintheexcavationsarepreserved，possessesquartzite，fibrolite，diorite，andevennephriteandjadeitehatchets，someofwhichmaterialsarenotnativetoEurope；aswellasamberbeadsandanecklaceofcalaite，thatpreciousstonedescribedbyPliny，andwhichlongremainedunknownafterhistime。
　　HatchetsorceltsaremorenumerousthananyotherobjectsfoundbeneathdolmensofBrittany。Areport，readbyM。R。GallestotheSocietePolymathiqueofMorbihan，enumeratestheobjectsfoundwiththedeadbeneaththedolmenofSaint-Michel。Thisreportisaregularinventory，inwhichfigureelevenjadeceltsofgreateleganceofformandvaryingfromaboutthreeandahalftosixteeninches，twolargerceltsofcoarseworkmanshipbothbroken，twenty-sixsmallfibroliteceltswithsharpedges，ninependants，morethanonehundredjasperbeadswhichhadbeenpartofanecklace，andlastlyanivoryring。Othermegalithicmonumentswerenotlessrichinrelics。ThirtyhatchetswerepickedupatTumiac；morethanahundred，nearlyalloftremolite，atMane-er-H’roek；whichwereremarkablefortheirregularityofform，theirpolish，andthevarietyoftheircolors。Theyseldombearanytracesofhavingbeenused，andinmanycasestheyappeartohavebeenintentionallybroken，probablyinconformitywithsomefunerealrite。Finistere，thoughnotsorichasMorbihan，furnishedanimportantcontingent。TheexcavationsoftheKerhue-Brastumulusbroughttolightasepulchralchamberwhichcontainedthirty-threearrow-beads。Beneathotherdolmenswerepickedupanumberoflittleplaquesofslate，allpiercedwithholes；
　　oneofthesepiecesofslate，whichwasoblonginform，boreonitarepresentationofasunwithrayssurroundedbyornamentsnoteasytomakeout。TheBretonmegalithicmonumentsalsocontainednumerousfragmentsofpottery，someofwhichhadformedpartofvaseswithoutstands，suchasthosefoundatSantorinandatTroy。
　　InotherpartsofFrance，similardiscoverieshavebeenmade；shellsoftenbroughtfromdistantshores，glassbeads，amberbowls，hatchetsandceltsmadeofstoneforeigntothecountry。Dr。PrunierespresentedtotheFrenchAssociation，whenitmetatBordeaux，acollectionofweaponsandornamentswhichcamefromthemegalithicmonumentsofLozere。M。CartailhacdescribedatthePrehistoricCongressofCopenhagenthedolmenofGrailheGard。Askeletonwasfoundbeneathitcrouchinginacorner；whilstroundaboutitlayaknife，aflintarrow-head，avaseofcoarsepottery，andintheearthformingthetumuluswerepickeduptwentyarrow-heads，ahatchetofchloromelanite，withnumerousbeadsandfragmentsofpottery。Weretheseofferingstothedead，ortotheinfernaldeities，giventotheminthehopeofpropitiatingtheminfavorofthedeceased？BeneaththemegalithofSaintJeand’AlcaswerefoundbeadsofblueglassandofenamelwhichDr。Prunieres，havingcomparedwiththoseintheCampanacollectionintheLouvre，thinksareofPhoenicianorigin。ThetumuliofthePyreneeshaveyieldedcalaitebeadsoftheshapeofsmallcylinderspiercedwithholes；andthedolmenofBretonTarn-et-Garonne
　　eighthundredandthirty-twonecklacebeads，someoftheshapeofaheart。BeneaththeVaurealdolmenwerefoundfiveskullsinarow，andnearoneofthem，thatofawoman，layanecklacemadeofroundbitsofboneandslate，onwhichhungalittlejadeitehatchetasanamulet。Thesehumanrelicswerealsoaccompaniedbyafibrolitecelt，numerouslittleworkedflints，andsomefragmentsofpottery。Thisarrangementofskullsinatombisveryrare，andtheonlythingI
　　cancompareittoistherowoffivehorses’headsplacedattheendoftheentrancegalleryofMane-Lud。
　　AtAlt-SammitMecklenburg，wereroundstonehatchets，flintknives，fragmentsofpotterycoveredwithstriveandornaments；atTenarloHolland，urnsandamberbeads。AtAncressintheislandofJersey，wefindaregularnecropolisdatingfromNeolithictimes，andonehundredvasesorurnsofdifferentformswerecollected。IntheLongBarrowofWestKennet，too，werefoundnumerousfragmentsofpottery，andwiththesefragmentsboars’tuskslongerthanthoseoftheboarofthepresentclay，thebonesofsheep，goats，roedeer，pigs，andofalargespeciesofox，allofwhichareprobablyrelicsofafuneralfeast。AtalittledistancefromWestKennettheRev。DoyenMerewetherfoundseveralflintimplements。Heretoo，then，aselsewhere，thehomeofthelivingwassidebysidewiththeresting-placeofthelead。
　　BeneaththedolmensofWestGothlandhavebeenfoundpolishedstoneweaponsandtoolsassociatedwiththebonesofdomesticanimals，inmanycasesbearingtracesoftheworkofthehandofman。AtOlleria，inthekingdomofValencia，atXeresdelaFrontera，wefinddioritehatchets，andinAlgeriavasesfilledwiththeshellsoflandmollusca。Ineveryclimewemeetwithtokensoftherespectinwhichthedeadwereheld。
　　Thisrespectisreallyveryremarkable。Thebuildersofthedolmensdidnothesitatetosacrificetheirmostpreciousobjects，theirrichestornaments，theirhatchetsandpreciousstonesbroughtfromadistancebytheirtribeintheirlongmigrations。Noonewoulddreamofrobbingthesacredcollection。Ourowncontemporaries，howevercivilizedwemayflatterourselvesbyconsideringthem，wouldnotprovethemselvesasdisinterested。
　　Hatchets，pottery，andpersonalornamentsofstonebone，etc。，arenottheonlyartificialobjectsfoundbeneaththemegalithicmonuments。Metals，too，havebeendiscovered，andM。Pietteinoneofhisexcavations，cameacrossaplateformedofverythinlayersofgoldleafweldedtogetherbyhammering；andinseveralpartsofthesouthofFrancehavebeenfoundolivesmadeofgoldandpiercedlengthwise。ThedolmenofCarnouetinBrittany，insignificantasitappearsandcontainingbutonesmallsepulchralchamberwithnogalleryofaccessorlateralcrypts，beneathatumulusaboutthirteenfeethighbysomeeighty-fiveindiameter，andwhichwasleftuntoucheduntilourownday，actuallycontainedagoldennecklaceweighingoversevenounces；inthecryptoftheCastelletmonumentwasfoundagoldenplaqueandagoldenbead；whilsttheOrsdolmenintheisleofOleronconcealedanuggetwhichhadbeenrolledintotheshapeofabeadprobablyafterhavingbeenbeatenthinwithahammer。AtPlouharnel，twogoldenamuletswerefoundbeneathatripledolmen，andM。duChatellier，inexcavatingbeneathamegalithicmonumentinFinistere，foundamagnificentchainofgold。AsomewhatsimilarchainwastakenfromtheLeysdolmennearInverness，andin1842LordAlbertCunninghampickedupatNewGrangeIrelandtwonecklaces，abrooch，andaring，allofgold。
　　MorethanahundredmegalithicmonumentsofFrancehavebeenfoundtocontainbronze，andthisnumberwouldbemorethandoubledifwecountedthefindsintombsnotconnectedwithmegaliths，suchasthoseofAveyronandLozere，whereafewbitsofbronzewerefoundmixedwithnumerousstoneobjects。Onefifthoftheweapons，especiallytheswordsanddaggersfoundbeneaththedolmens，areofbronze。AtKerhueinFinistere，anumberofbronzeswordswerearrangedinacircleroundalittleheapofcindersandblackearth，relics，probably，ofthecremationofthedead，inhonorofwhomthetumulushadbeenerected。
　　BeneaththedolmensofRokniaAlgeriawerefoundthirteenbronzeornaments，andtwoinsilvergiltofverysuperiorworkmanship，andunderthoseoftheCaucasuswerepickedupblue-glassbeads，arrow-heads，andbronzerings；butM。Chantre，whoisanauthorityinthematter，thinkstheseobjectsdatefromintermentssubsequenttotheerectionofthedolmens。
　　IronwasmuchmorerarelyusedthanbronzeinthegreaterpartofEurope。ItwasnotevenknowninScandinaviabeforetheChristianera。InGermany，Pannonia，andNoricumitsusedatesfromthesixthorseventhcenturyB。C。BeneaththemoundsofCentralAmericawefindbutafewfragmentsofmeteoriciron，therarityofwhichmadethemextremelyvaluable；ontheotherhandironwasknowntotheHellenesaslongagoasthefourteenthcenturyB。C。，andithadbeenemployedinEgyptformanycenturiespriortothattime。ThemostancientsepulchresofMalabarcontainirontridents，andGenesiusdatestheirusefrombeforethedeluge。Itisthereforesurprisingtofindthatsomeracesremainedforanillimitabletimeignorantofthewaytoprocureametalofsuchgreatutility。