Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

244 STONE CIRCLES.
others, to this purpose, as the evidence is as distinct as
it is pointed ; though I may remark that, from its style
and magnitude, it is not unlikely that the temple of this
Lewis Apollo was in reality a temple, and possibly that
of Thor himself. The religion of Scandinavia, as is well
known, was not Druidism, though some of the usages
and doctrines have been confounded, partly in conse-
quence of the remote Asiatic origin of both nations, but
more from posterior intermixture of the conquerors and
the conquered, and by the mistakes of these writers who
had not appreciated the distinction. But the followers
of Odin, like the Druids, thought it offensive to the dei-
ties to confine them in buildings; and hence their tem-
ples were open inclosures, while, in some cases, the altar
was erected on a plain. It was not till after the intro-
duction of Christianity, that real temples or buildings
were adopted.
Now as to the uses of the Circles for the purpose of
theatres, that also rests on the authority of Wormius,
who is simply and plainly narrating the history and
usages of his country, from documents and monuments
that were before his eyes. They were used for the tour-
naments of the day, or for celebratmg the games which
were in vogue among those people. It is probable that
the largest circles were appropriated to this use ;
though
some of these, from their peculiarity of position as com-
manding eminences, seem to have been fortifications or
garrisons.
The most numerous, however, thoseat least which are
to us the most remarkable, from containing a central stone
generally within a circleof twelve,seem to have been courts
of justice and election. Such works are now found in
the countries of ancient Scandinavia, where they are uni-
versally received by the people themselves to have been
Tings, or courts of meeting and of justice. They abound,