Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

STONE CIUCLKS. 245
among other tracts, in Holstein. The legal or judicial
proceedings were sometimes attended by sacrifices, or
executions ; and thus the presence of instruments used
for this purpose, and of the marks of fire occasionally
found in these buildings, is explained. These have been
wrested into Druidical sacrifices and Druidical imple-
ments. It is matter of historical record that Thorder
Galler erected such a circle for a Law Ting: and, on
this subject, the testimony of Olaus Wormius, Saxo
Grammaticus, Krantz, and others, is uniform and de-
cided. It is equally known, and equally shown by the
same authors, that they were made use of for the purpose
of elections, in that country, in ancient times. Three of
these still remain ; one near to Lunden in Scania, one at
Leyra in Zealand, and one near Niburg or Wilbord in
Jutland. These consisted, " ut plurimum," of twelve
stones in a circle, with a central one; the former serving,
among other purposes, as a barrier against the assembled
crowd, and the latter being the place of the king. Coun-
cils were also held at them, and if a king died at a dis-
tance from his home or people, a fresh circle was formed
for the election of his successor. The central stone was
called the Kongstolen; a fact which demolishes the
whole' monolithic theory, and reflects no great honour
on the learning of the antiquaries who have supported
it. As the number of Lagmen, electors, councillors, or
under whatever name they may be called, from whence
we have remotely derived our own jury, consisted of
twelve, the cause of this number of stones in the circum-
ference is also explained; each councillor or elector
standing at his own stone to give his opinion or vote.
The King, being elected or approved, received iheir homage
also, at his own Kongstolen.
Thus a third and a fourth use for the circles are
proved ; and the name Thingvalla, applied to them in