AtSolutreisasepulchreformedofunhewnslabsofstone。Thebodyofthedeadrestedonathickbedofthebrokenandcrushedbonesofhorses。Theremainsofreindeerweremixedwiththehumanbones。Werethesetoorelicsoffuneralrites，andweretheanimalbonesthoseofthehorsesandreindeerthathadbelongedtotheirhunter？Itisimpossibletosay。Solutre，situatedasitwasonanadmirablesiteonahilloverlookingthevalleyoftheSeine，protectedfromthenorthwindsandclosetoaplentifulstream，hasalsobeenafavoriteresortofman。Inthetombsallagesaremixedtogether，andifsomedoindeeddatefromNeolithictimes，othersareRoman，Burgundian，Merovingian。TheremaybeamongthemacertainnumberdatingfromtheReindeerperiod；thatisaboutallwecanassertwithanycertaintyinthepresentstateofourknowledge。TheAbbeDucrost，however，inanimportantessay[285]assertsthathehasfoundincontrovertibleproofsoftheintermentofSolutreensonthehearthsoftheirhomesinPalaeolithictimes。Ifthisbeso，thecustomisoneoffrequentoccurrence，andhasbeencontinuedforcenturies；
　　forDeColanges，inhisfineworkonancientcities，showsthatatRometheearliesttombswereonthehearthitselfofthedwelling。DeMortillet，ontheotherhand，dwellsveryearnestlyonthemodeofinhumationatSolutre，andseesinthejuxtapositionofhumanremainsandtheDEBRISofhearthsbuttheresultofdisplacement，andoftheregularturningupsidedownofwhichthehillofSolutrehasbeenthescene。TothisReinachreplied，totheeffectthat，whereasafewyearsagoDeMortillet’sauthorityledmanyarchaeologiststosupposethatthemenoftheReindeerperioddidnotburytheirdead，facts，evermoreimportantthantheories，havenowprovedbeyondadoubtthatthisverydecidedopinionisamistake。Notonlydidthemenofremoteantiquityburytheirdead；theylaidthem，asatSolutre，onthehearthsnearwhichtheyhadlived。[286]
　　Thedeadwereoftenburiedseatedorbentforward，anditisinterestingtonotethesamecustombeneaththemoundsofAmericaandthetumuliofEurope。Itistouchingtoseehowindeathmenwishedtorecalltheirlifeonearth；thecradlewas，sotospeak，reproducedinthetomb，andmanlayonthebosomofearth，thecommonmotherofhumanity，likethechildonthebosomofhisownmother。Perhaps，too，theseatedpositionwasmeanttoindicatethatman，whohadneverknownrestduringhishardstruggleforexistence，hadfounditatlastinhisnewlife。Themenoftheroughandbarbaroustimesoftheremotepastwereunabletoconceivetheideaofafuturedifferenttothepresent，orofalifewhichwasnotineveryrespectthesameasthatonearthhadbeen。
　　Whatevermayhavebeenthemotive，thismodeofburialwaspractisedfromtheMadeleineperiod。[287]AtBruniquel，inAveyron，thedeadwerefoundcrouchingintheirlasthome。Thispositionis，however，peculiarlycharacteristicofNeolithictimes，andismetwiththroughoutEurope。EightskeletonswererecentlydiscoveredbendingforwardinthesepulchralcaveofSchwannMecklenburg。InScandinaviatherearesomanysimilarcasesthatitisdifficulttomakeaselection。TitthesepulchralcaveofOxevallaEastGothland
　　thedeadareallincrouchingattitudes，andtumulidatingfromthemostremoteantiquitycoveroverapassage，formedofimmenseblocksofstone，leadingtoacentralchamber，inwhicharenumerousseatedskeletonsrestingagainstthewalls。
　　OntheshoresoftheMediterranean，excavationsoftheVenceCaveAlpes-Maritimesbroughttolightanumberofdeadarrangedinacircleasifabouttotakeamealincommon。Thebodieswerecrouchinginthepositionofmensittingontheirheels；thespinalcolumnwasbentforwardandtheheadnearlytouchedtheknees。Inthecentreofthisstrangegroupwerenoticedsomefragmentsofpotteryandtheremainsofalargebird，abuzzardprobably。Perhapsitsdeathamongthecorpseswasamereaccident。[288]ThedolmensofAveyronyieldedsomeflint-flakesandarrow-heads，piecesofpottery，pendants，andbone，stone，shell，andslate-coloredschistbeads。Beneathoneofthesedolmenswasfoundonesmallbronzeobject，quiteanexceptionalinstanceoftheoccurrenceofthatmetal。Theskeletonsrestedagainstthewalls。Inoneofthetombssomehumanbones，whichbadbeenoriginallyplacedattheentrancetothecave，hadbeenmovedtotheback；thevanquishedhadhere，asinlife，togivewaybeforetheconquerors。ExcavationsintheMane-Ludtombhaveledexplorerstosupposethatheretoothecorpseswereburiedinacrouchingposition。ItisthesameatLuzarchesandintheVarennescemeterynearDormans。[289]Inthelastnamedwerefoundtracesofafirethathadbeenlitabovethetomb，andsomepotterywaspickedupornamentedwithhollowlines，filledwithsomewhitematternotunlikebarbotine。M。deBayesaysthismodeofintermentisconfinedtothedistrictofMarne；butforallthathehimselfgivesanexampleofitspracticeelsewhere。[290]
　　IntheprehistorictombsdiscoveredatCapeBlanc-Nez，nearEscallesPas-de-Calais，thepositioninwhichthebodyhadbeeninterredcouldbemadeoutinfourinstances。Theendsofthetibiae，humeri，and。radiiwereunited，thebonesofthehandswerefoundneartheclavicles，sothatthebodieshadevidentlybeenbendingforwardwiththearmscrossedandthefingerspointingtowardtheshoulders。[291]
　　SimilarfactsarequotedfromacaveatEquehenontheplateauwhichstretchesalongtheseashoreontheeastofBoulogne。Thebodies，tothenumberofnine，werecrouchingwiththefaceturnedtowardtheentranceofthecave，whichwasclosedwithgreatblocksofsandstone。Twopolishedstonehatchets，brokendoubtlessinaccordancewithsomesepulchralrite，hadbeenplacedneartheskeletons。
　　NumeroushumanboneswerefoundintheCravancheCavenearBelfort，whichprobablydatesfromthecloseoftheNeolithicperiod，judgingfromthetotalabsenceofmetalandtheshapeoftheflintandboneimplementspickedup。Heretoothebodieswerebentalmostdouble，theheaddroopingforwardandthekneesdrawnupnearlytothechin。Severaloftheseskeletonswerecompletelyimbeddedinthestalagmitewhichhadformedinthecave，theheadandkneesaloneemergingfromthesolidmass。Thepositioninwhichtheywereoriginallyplacedhadthusofnecessitybeenmaintained。[292]
　　Asimilarrite，forritewemustcallthismodeofburial，waspractisedinItaly，andtheChevalierdeRossispeaksofatomboftheNeolithicperiodatCantalupo，nearRome，inwhichoneofthebodieswagplacedinthecrouchingattitude，whichhesaysisfamiliartoallwhohavestudiedancienttombs。[293]Thispracticewasstillcontinuedinprotohistorictimes；SchliemannnoticeditintheexcavationshesuperintendedatMykenae，andHomersaysthatamongsttheLybiansthedeadwereburiedseated。
　　ThenecropolisnearConstantinecontainsnumerousmegalithicmonuments。Theseareeitherroundorsquarecromlechssurroundingsarcophagi，orcircularENCEINTES，inwhichthedeadwerelaidinatrench。Intheformertherearealwaysagreatmanyfuneralobjectsinthetomb，andthebodyofthedeadisinacrouchingposture；
　　inthelattertherearefewthingsbesidethecorpseitself，andthatisinarecumbentposition。Dothesepeculiaritiesdenotedifferentraces？Dothetombsalldatefromthesameperiod，orarethesearrangementsbutfreshindicationsofthedifferenceeverywheremaintainedbetweensocialclasses？Itisdifficulttodecide，andwemustbecontentwithenumeratingfacts。Wemayadd，however，thatthecrouchingpositionofcorpsesisconstantlymetwithinAfrica[294]
　　andinNorthandSouthAmerica，fromCanadatoPatagonia。[295]
　　Thefuneralritesofwhichwehavespokennecessarilyimplyburial；
　　mandidnotabandontowildbeastsorbirdsofpreythebodiesofthosewhohadoncebeenlikehimself。AtAurignac，atBruniquel，andintheFrontalCave，thecavemanbadtakentheprecautionofclosingwiththelargeststoneshecouldfindtheentrancestothelastresting-placesofthosebelongingtohim。ThecavesofL’HOMME
　　MORT，andofPetit-MorinwhichdatefromNeolithictimes，retaintracesofsimilarblockingup。TherewerefiveentrancestothecaveofGarennedeVerneuilMarneinwhichwasaregularossuary；thefloorwaspavedandtheroofkeptupwithelevenuprightstones。Theobjectsinthetombwiththedeadwereaclumsyearthenwarevase，afewflintknives，andsomeshellnecklacebeads。
　　ThesidesofthealmostinaccessiblemountainsofPeruarepierced，ataheightofseveralhundredfeet，withnumerouscaveswhichhavenearlyallbeenartificiallyenlarged。ItwasinthemthatthePeruviansplacedtheirdead，andthepeopleofthecountrystillcallthemTANTAMAMARCAorabodesofdesolation。Theentranceswereconcealedwithextremecare，butthiscaredidnotsavethetombsfromviolation；
　　thegreedforthetreasuressupposedtobeconcealedinthetombswastoogreatforrespecttotheunknowndeadtoholdcuriosityincheck。
　　Inothercases，thedeadwaslaidnearthehearthwhichhadbeenthatofhishomewhenliving，andhisabodeduringlifebecamehistomb。Thedolmens，CELLA，andGANGRABENinGermany，andthebarrowsinEngland，appeartobearwitnesstotheprevalenceofasimilarcustominthosecountries；andwefindthesameideaperpetuatedevenwhencremationbecamegeneral。AtAlba，inLatium，atMarino，nearAlbano，atVetuloniaandCorneto-Tarquiniawerediscoveredurnswithdoors，windows，andaroofimitatinghumandwellings。[296]
　　Later，othermodesofsepulturecameintouse。InMarneM。Nicaisemadeoutsevenfuneralpits[297]resemblinginshape，hetellsus，long-neckedbottleswithflatbottoms。OneofthesepitsatTours-sur-Marnecontainedatleastfortyskeletons，andamongtheboneswerefoundthirty-fourpolishedstonehatchets，fiftyknives，twoflintlance-headsandagreatmanyarrowswithtransverseedges，anecklaceoflittleroundbitsoflimestone，severalfragmentsofcoarsepotterywhichhadbeenmixedwithgrainsofsilicaandbakedinthefire，andlastlythreelittleflasksmadeofstag-hornhollowedoutinacuriousmannerandwithstoppersofthesamematerial。Thesequaintlittleflasksdoubtlesscontainedthecoloringmatterwithwhichthedeadhadpaintedtheirbodieswhenalive。AlltheobjectsofwhichwehavespokenbelongedtotheNeolithicperiod；butaflatbronzenecklacebeadmadebyfoldingathinsliceofmetal，aradius，andabitofribbearinggreenmarksresultingfromlongcontactwithmetal，appeartofixthedateofthispitatthetransitionperiodbetweentheStoneandBronzeages。Ifthisbesoitisquiteanexceptionalcaseofasepulchralpitdatingfromthistime，formostofthoseknownareofmuchlaterorigin。ThoseforinstanceofMont-Beuvray，BernardLaVendee，andBeaugencyarenotolderthanGallo-Romantimes。[298]
　　AccordingtoCountGozzadini，thoseofManzabottoinItaly，whicharetwenty-seveninnumber，datefromtheIVthcenturyafterthefoundationofRome，andareofEtruscanorigin。Theyareconstructedwithsmallpointedpebbles，withnotraceofcement，andresembleinshapealongamphoravase，orperhaps，tobemoreaccurate，theclapperofabell。Theyarefromsixandahalftothirty-twoandahalffeetdeep，withanopeningvaryingindiameterfromonefoottonearlytwoandahalffeet。[299]
　　Wehavesaidsomuchinprecedingchaptersonmonumentserectedinmemoryofthedead，thatbutlittleremainstobeaddedhere。Doubtlesstherearemanydistinctionstobenotedatdifferenttimesandindifferentcountries，buteverywheretheaimremainsthesame，andthemeansusedforattainingthatendareradicallythesamealltheworldover。TakeforexampletheAymaras，themostancientraceofBoliviaandCallao；theylaidtheirdeadsometimesbeneathmegalithicmonumentsFig。58，p。178resemblingthedolmensofEurope，sometimesbeneathtowersorCHULPAS，whicharehoweverprobablyofmorerecentdate。
　　ChulpanearPalca。
　　CHULPAS，generallyofsquareorrectangularform，consistofamassofunhewnstonesfacedoutsidewithblocksoftrachyteorbasalt，paintedred，yellow，orwhite。Averylowdoor，alwaysfacingeast，asifinhonoroftherisingsun，givesaccesstoacistinwhichthedeadwaslaid。TheCHULPAofourillustrationFig。105issituatednearthevillageofPalca；itrisesfromanexcavationfourfeetdeep；
　　itsheightisaboutsixteenfeet，andthecorniceconsistsofICHU，acoarsegrasswhichgrowsinabundanceonthemountains，andwhichafterbeingfirmlycompressedwascutwiththehelpofsharpinstruments。Thehumanbones，whichweremixedtogetherinthegreatestconfusion，madeaheapinthesepulchralchambermorethanafoothigh。
　　ThemoundsofOhioalsocoveroversepulchralchambersofapeculiarconstruction，beingoftenformedofroundpiecesofwood，fivetosevenfeetlongbyfivetosixinchesindiameter；nearthebodieswereplacedafewornaments，chieflycopperear-rings，shellbeads，andlargeflintknives。Mostoftheskeletonslayonthebareearth；
　　butoneexceptionismentionedinwhichthegroundwaspavedwithmusselshells。AremarkablediscoveryhasquiterecentlybeenmadeatFloydIowa，theaccountofwhichinNatureforJanuary1，1891，wewillgiveinthewordsofClementWebster：“Inmakingathoroughexplorationofthelargermound……theremainsoffivehumanbodieswerefound，theboneseventhoseofthefingers，toes，etc。，being，forthemostpartinagoodstateofpreservation。First，asaucerorbowl-shapedexcavationhasbeenmade，extendingdownthreeandthree-quarterfeetbelowthesurfaceofthegroundaroundthemound，andthebottomofthismacadamizedwithgravelandfragmentsoflimestone。Inthecentreofthisfloorfivebodieswereplacedinasittingposturewiththefeetdrawnunderthem，andapparentlyfacingthenorth。Firstabovethebodieswasathinlayerofearthandashes，amongwhichwerefoundtwoorthreesmallpiecesoffine-grainedcharcoal。Nearlyalltheremainingfourfeetofearthhadbeenchangedtoaredcolorbythelong-continuedactionoffire。“Mr。Webstergoesontodescribethevariousskeletonsandsaysofoneofthem，thatofawoman：“Thebonesintheirdetailofstructureindicatedapersonoflowgrade，theevidenceofunusualmusculardevelopmentbeingstronglymarked。Theskullofthispersonagewasawondertobehold，itequallingifnotrivallinginsomerespectsandininferiorityofgrade，thefamousNeanderthalskull。Theforehead，ifforeheaditcouldbecalled，isverylow，lowerandmoreanimal-likethanintheNeanderthalspecimen……Thequestionhasbeenraisedhowwasitthatthesefivebodieswereallburiedhereatthesametime，theirbodiesbeingstillintheflesh。“……Websteraddsthattheprobabilityisthatallbutoneofthemhadbeensacrificedatthedeathofthatone，whohadmostlikelybeenachief。