Celtic Mythology and Religion

246 CELTIC MYTHOLOGY AND RELIGION.
composed of stones, and thus differed from the
Greek tuniboi, Latin tumuli, which might be made
either of stones or earth."
Three features of burial
constantly occur in the
Irish records : these are the grave or fert, which
was dug out ; a mound or cairn duma or lecht—
was raised above the grave ; and a pillar-stone,
coirthe, or stone, lia, placed in or upon the mound
or cairn. Finally, an inscription was cut again
on this pillar-stone or lia. Similarly the stele stood
upon the tumbos in Homeric and Greek times generally.
Keating, an Irish historian and antiquary
of the 17th century, places this form of burial as
his first. He says :— " They used to make a fert
in the earth corresponding in length and breadth
with the corpse ; they then deposited the corpse
therein, with the soles of the feet turned to the east,
and the crown of the head to the west ; and put a
cam of stones over it, which was called a lecht."
The orientation of the body, with sunward face, is
Christian, though Pagan in its ultimate origin. A
quotation or two from the MSS. will further elucidate
the point. A MS. of the 12th century, called the
Book of Leinster, tells us—relating events a dozen
centuries earlier :— " A grave was dug for Ferb,
and her stone was raised, and an inscription in Ogam
was written, and a mound (duma) was made around
the stone." Here the pillar-stone was set on the
grave, and partially covered with the mound.
Traces of the old Pagan custom of burying arms