InScandinavia，duringtheBronzeage，cremationandburialwerepractisedinaboutequalproportions。SimilarfactsarenoticedinGermany，butintheNorthincinerationpredominates，whileintheWestitisinhumation。BeneaththecairnsofCaithnessinScotland，wefindsomebodieslyingatfulllength，whileothersareinabentposition，andlargejarsofcoarsepotteryfilledwithcindersandcalcinedboneswhichhadbelongedtomenofmediumheight。Oneofthelargestofthesejarsisfifteenorsixteenincheshighbyforty-ninewideatitslargestpart。[310]InexcavatingthebarrowsoftheOrkneyIslands，Petrienotedthepracticeofbothmodesofburial[311]；
　　butwerethoseburiedinmannerssodifferentcontemporaries？Thisiswhatwearenottold，andwhatwehavetofindout。
　　AtBlendowoinPoland，beneathacromlechwasfoundanurnfilledwithcalcinedbones，andthirtycentimetreslowerdownaskeletonwasdiscoveredburiedinthesand。NearthisbodywasfoundacoinofTheodosius，andwewonderinvainwhetherboththeindividuals，whoseremainsarethuswithinacommontomb，livedatthesametime。ThroughoutPrussiaandintireGrandDuchyofPosenskeletonsandjarscontaininghumanashes。aremetwithinthesametombs。[312]
　　Wemustnotforgettonote，especially，thenecropolisofHallstadt，whichwassituatedintheheartofthedistrictofBohemiaoccupiedbytheBoii。Themostancientofthetombsinthesevastburial-placesdatefromabouttwothousandyearsbeforetheChristianera，andtheHallstadtianperiod，asitissometimescalled，culminatedduringthefirsthalfofthemillenniumimmediatelybeforethecomingofChrist。[313]Ninehundredandninety-threetombshavebeenexcavated；
　　all，tojudgebytheobjectsfoundwiththehumanremains，belongingtotheBronzeage；ofthesefivehundredandtwenty-sevencontainedburiedbodies，andfourhundredandfifty-threecrematedrelics。[314]
　　ThisisalargerproportionthanintheprimitivenecropolesofItaly。
　　Inthetombsinwhichburialwaspractised，thebodieswerelaidinthetrenchwithoutcovering，andtheremainsofanythinginthewayofslabsorcoffinsorprotectingplanksareveryrare；inthosetombsinwhichcremationhadbeentherule，ustionhadoftenbeenveryincomplete，sometimestheheadand。sometimesthefeethavingescapedtheflames。
　　SimilarfactsarenotedatWatsch，atSanMargarethen，andatVermoinStyria，atRovescheinSouthernCarniola，andatRosegginthevalleyoftheDrave。AtWatsch，buttenskeletonswerefound，amongtwohundredexamplesofincineration。Inthecremationsepulchres，ifwemaysocallthem，thecineraryurnwasprotectedbylargeslabs；
　　whileinthosewhereburialwaspractised，thebodiesweresimplyconfidedtotheearthasatHallstadt；butbyasingularcontrast，thelattertombscontainedmuchmoreimportantrelics，theobjectswiththedeadbeingmorevaluableandoffinerworkmanship。AtRovesche，theurnwasplacedinasquarechestmadeofunhewnstones。Theburiedbodieslaywiththeheadturnedtowardtheeast，anurnwasplacedattheirfeet，andtheirshroudswerekeptinplacebybronzefibulae，whileonthefingersweremanyringsofthesamemetal。
　　Lastly，toconcludethisgloomycatalogue，excavationsinthemoundsofOhioandIllinois[315]haveshownthattheretoocremationandinhumationaremetwithinsepulchreswhicheverythingtendstoassigntothesameraceandthesameperiod。[316]ThesepulchralcryptsofMissouricontainseveralskeletonswhichhadbeensubjectedtointenseheat。Thehumanbonesweremixedwiththeremainsofanimals，fragmentsofcharcoal，andpiecesofpottery，withsortieflintweapons。Inaneighboringmoundexcavationsrevealednotraceofcremation；thebodieswerestretchedoutupontheground，andthosewhodiscoveredthempickedupnearthemavaluablecollectionofflintsandofcarefullymadepottery。Thereishowevernothingtoshowwhetherthosewhoburiedandthosewhoburnttheirdeadbelongedtothesameraceorlivedatthesametime。CremationlongsurvivedamongthemostsavagetribesofAlaskaandCalifornia，whereitisstillpractised，andtheIndiansofFloridapreservetheashesoftheirfathersinhumanskulls。InCalifornia，therelationsofthedeceasedcoveredtheirfaceswithathickpasteofakindofloammixedwiththeashesofthedead，andwerecompelledtowearthissignoftheirgriefuntilitfelloffnaturally。
　　Althoughwemeetwiththeburialofthedeadeitherinarecumbentoracrouchingposition，everywheretheminorceremoniesconnectedwithdeathareinnumerable；eachpeople，eachrace，indeed，havingitsowncustom，handeddownfromonegenerationtoanother，andpiouslypreservedintactbyeachsuccessivefamily。Feastingwasfromtheearliesttimesafeatureofthefuneralceremonies。AnedictofCharlemagneforbidseatinganddrinkingonthetombsofthedeceased，andSaintBoniface，theapostleofGermany，complainsbitterlythatthepriestsencouragedbytheirpresencethesefeastsofdeath。Wemeetwiththesamekindofthingamongthelowerclassesatthepresentday，andthecemeteriesofParisaresurroundedwithcafesandwineshops，wheretoooftengriefisdrownedinwine。ThecustomofholdingthesefeastsreallycomesdownfromtheearliestinhabitantsofEurope，andthesavagecavemangorgedhimselfwithfooduponthetombsofthosebelongingtohim。AtAurignac，inthecaveofL’HOMMEMORT，intheTrouduFrontal，brokenbonesandfragmentsofcharcoalbearwitnesstotherepast。Similartracesoffeastsaremetwithbeneaththedolmensandthetumuli。FromtheLongBarrowshavebeentakentheskullsandfeetofbovidae，anditisprobablethattheotherpartsofthebodyhadbeendevouredbytheassistants，andthattheheadandfeetwereplacedinthetombasanofferingeithertothedeadortothedivinitieswhoaresupposedtohavepresidedatthedeath。IntheancientsepulchresofWiltshireSirR。ColtHoarepickedupthebonesofboars，stags，sheep，horses，anddogs；whichhetooconsideredweretheremainsoffuneralfeasts。
　　Werefeaststheonlyceremoniesconnectedwithinterments？Wethinknot。Thebodywasoftenplacedinthecentreofthesepulchralchamber，andarounditwererangedthewives，servants，andslavesofthedeceased，condemnedtofollowtheirchiefintotheunknownworldtowhichhehadgone。BeneathadolmenofAlgeriawasfoundacrouchingskeletonwithtwocranialyingathisfeet，whichcraniahaddoubtlessbelongedtovictimsimmolatedinhishonor。ThebarrowsofGreatBritainpreservetracesofhumansacrifices，andCaesarsaysinspeakingoftheGauls：“Theirfuneralsaremagnificentandsumptuous。Everythingsupposedtohavebeendeartothedefunctduringhislifewasflunguponthefuneralpile；evenhisanimalsweresacrificed，anduntilquiterecentlyhisslavesandthedependantshehadlovedwereburntwithhim。“[317]
　　Thefactswehavebeennoticingprovethatearlymancherishedhopesofimmortality。Allwasnotendedforhimwithdeath；anewlifecommencesbeyondthetomb，marked——forhisideascouldgonofarther——byjoyssimilartothosehehadknownonearth，andeventssuchashadoccurredduringhislife。Whatelsecouldbethemeaningoftheweapons，thetoolsofhiscraft，thevasesfilledwithfoodplacednearthedefunct，theornamentsandcolorsintendedforhisadornment，thewives，slaves，andhorsesflungintothesametomborconsumeduponthesamepile？Itispleasingtofindthissupremehopeamongourremoteancestors；andclumsilyasitwasexpressed，itimpliesabeliefinabeingsuperiortoman，aprotectingdivinityaccordingtosome，butaccordingtosomefewothersamalignantandtyrannicalspirit。Theproofssofartohandarenotenoughtojustifyusinseriouslyassertingthatancestorswereworshippedbyprehistoricman。Butthesubjectistooimportantforustorefrainfromputtingbeforethereadersuchindicationsofthisworshipashavebeencollected，andwhicharenecessarilyconnectedwiththemoralandmaterialconditionofourremoteancestors。
　　TheradiusofamammothwasdiscoveredatChaleux，occupyingaplaceofhonoronalargesandstoneslabnearthehearth。TheChaleuxCavedatesfromtheReindeerperiod；atwhichtimethemammothhadlongsincebeenextinctinBelgium，sothattherecanbenodoubtthatthecavemanhadtakenthisbonefromthealluvialdepositsoftheprecedingepoch，andthishugerelicofanunknowncreaturehadbeentheobjectofhisveneration，alarorprotectivedivinityofhishome。AsomewhatsimilarfactwasdiscoveredatLaugerie-Basseand，byastrangecoincidence，certaintribesofNorthAmericaofthepresentclaypreservetheboneofamastodonorofacetaceanintheirbutsasaprotectiontotheirhomes。
　　FromPaleolithictimesmenwereinthehabitofcuttingceltsorhatchetsinchalk，bitumen，andotherfragilesubstances，whichwerecertainlyofnopracticaluse。Thousandsofsimilarobjectsinharderrock，butshowingnosignofwearortear，havealsobeenfound，andthereislittledoubtthattheyallalikeservedasamulets。Thissuperstitiousrespectforcertainobjectslastedformanycenturies，andwashandeddownfromonegenerationtoanother。ThetombsoftheBronzeandIronagesareoftenfoundtocontainflinthatchets，someofthembrokenintentionally，aproof，asIhavealreadysaid，thattheywereconnectedwithfuneralritesofthenatureofwhichweareignorant。
　　Wealsofindvotivehatchetsbeneathdolmens。BythesideofsomeskeletonsatCissburylayflintcelts。AhatchetoneandaquarterfeetlongwasfoundinaLakeStationofSwitzerland。Itwasofsuchfriablerockthatitcanhavebeenofnousebutasasymbol；perhaps，indeed，itmayhavebeenabadgeofoffice。Lastly，Merovingiantombscontainhundredsofsmallflintcelts，thelastpiousofferingstothedeparted。[318]
　　WefindhatchetsengravedonthemegalithicmonumentsofBrittany，onthewallsofthecavesofMarne，andwemeetwiththemagainontheothersideoftheAtlantic，evidentlybearingthesamesignification，implyingrespectforthemas。meansofprotection。DeLongperierhaspublishedadescriptionofaChaldeancylinder，onwhichwasrepresentedapriestpresentinghisofferingtoahatchetlyingonathrone，andaringwaspickedupatMykenae，onthestoneofwhichwasengravedadouble-bladedcelt。Wefindthesameideainmanydifferentmythologies。ThewordNOUTERGodistranslatedinEgyptianhieroglyphicsbyasignresemblingacelt，andthehatchetofOdinisengravedontherocksofKivrik。OnanumberofGallo-RomanCIPPI，wefindahatchetbeneathwhichwereadthewords，DISMANIBUS，andlowerdownthededication，SUBASCIADEDICAVIT。Atalltimesandeverywherethehatchetappearsastheemblemofforce，andistheobjectoftherespectofthepeople。Thetraditionofitsvalueandimportanceishandeddownfromancestorstodescendantsthroughoutmanygenerations。
　　ErraticblockfromScania，coveredwithcarvings。
　　Maywegiveareligiousinterpretationtothebasinsandcupshollowedoutonrocksanderraticblocksandontheso-calledRochesMoutonnees，withothermonumentsthathaveenduredformanycenturiesFigs。111
　　and112？Ormustweattributethemmerelytopassingcaprice？Theirnumberandimportancewethinkforbidthelatteridea。WefindsuchblocksinSwitzerland，inEngland，France，Italy，Portugal，andonthefrozenshoresoftheBaltic。TheyarenolessnumerousinIndia，andtheyfigureinthecuriouspictographsofthetwoAmericas。Thereisnodoubtthatwehavehereacommonidea，andoneitisimpossiblenottorecognize。How。elsecanweaccountforthesimilarityofarrangementinthecup-shapedsculpturesfromthetumuliofSchleswig-HolsteinandthoseontheIndianrocksofKamaou，orbetweenthoseofAlgeriaandofEngland？
　　EngravedrockfromMassibertLozere。
　　InBrittanyandinScotlandthesecup-likesculpturesarefoundonrocksandmenhirs，onthewallsofsepulchralchambers，onstonesformingthesidesofKISTVAENS，accompaniedinmanyinstanceswithradiatedcircles，whichdonot，however，helpustounderstandthembetter。InScandinaviatheyareknownasELFENSTENAVS，orelfstones，andtheinhabitantscomeandplaceofferingsonthemfortheLITTLE
　　PEOPLE。Accordingtoatouchingtradition，theselittlepeoplearesoulsawaitingthetimeoftheirbeingclothedoncemoreinhumanflesh。InBelgiumthesestrangelydecoratedstonesareattributedtotheNUTONS，dwarfswhoareveryhelpfultomortals。Ineverycountrythereissomelegendsacredtothesculpturedstones。
　　Sucharetheonlyfactswehavebeenabletocollectrespectingthereligiousfeelingofprehistoricraces。Theyarenotsufficienttoauthorizeanyfinalconclusiononthesubject。Ateveryturnwearecompelledtoadmitourhelplessness。Butyesterdaythispastwithoutalimitwasabsolutelyunknowntous，andto-daywearebutbeginningtobeabletoobtainaglimpseintoitssecrets。Wehavebeenthelaborersofthefirsthour，itwillbeforthosewhocomeafterustocompletethetaskwehavebeenablebuttobegin。Mayagenuineloveoftruthbetothem，aswemayjustlyclaimithasbeentous，theonlyguide。