Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

52 Myths and Legends of the Celtic RaceStone-worship at Locronan, BrittanyCup-and-Ring Markings[68]Cup-and-ring Markings from Scotland(After Sir J. Simpson)Another singular emblem, upon the meaning of which nolight has yet been thrown, occurs frequently in connexion withmegalithic monuments. The accompanying illustrations showexamples of it. Cup-shaped hollows are made in the surfaceof the stone, these are often surrounded with concentric rings,and from the cup one or more radial lines are drawn to a pointoutside the circumference of the rings. Occasionally a systemof cups are joined by these lines, but more frequently theyend a little way outside the widest of the rings. These strangemarkings are found in Great Britain and Ireland, in Brittany, andat various places in India, where they are called mahadéos. 42 Ihave also found a curious example—for such it appears to be—inDupaix' “Monuments of New Spain.” It is reproduced in LordKingsborough's “Antiquities of Mexico,” vol. iv. On the circulartop of a cylindrical stone, known as the “Triumphal Stone,”is carved a central cup, with nine concentric circles round it,and a duct or channel cut straight from the cup through all thecircles to the rim. Except that the design here is richly decoratedand accurately drawn, it closely resembles a typical Europeancup-and-ring marking. That these markings mean something,and that, wherever they are found, they mean the same thing,can hardly be doubted, but what that meaning is remains yet a42 See Sir J. Simpson's “Archaic Sculpturings” 1867.