Northern mythology

:
258 EPITOME OF GERMAN MYTHOLOGY.
and rocks ^ In stones, according to the popular belief,
the dwarfs had their abode ; but principally rugged stone
altars are thereby understood, such as still exist in many
parts of Germany^.
We are unable to say with certainty whether the beforementioned
offering-places served at the same time as
burying-grounds of the dead, a supposition
rendered probable
by the number of urns containing ashes, which are
often found on spots supposed to have been formerly
consecrated to heathen worship. But the graves of the
dead, at all events, seem designated as offering-places^.
That such offerings at graves were sometimes made to the
souls of the departed, who after death were venerated as
higher and beneficent beings, may be assumed from the
numerous prohibitions, by the Christian church, against
offering to saints, and regarding the dead indiscriminately
as holy*; although not all the sacrificia mortuorum and
the heathen observances, which at a later period took place
at burials^, may have had reference to the dead, but may
^ See p. 255, note ^. Comp. Indie. Superst. c. 7. Cone. Namnet. c. 20:
lapides, quos in ruinosis loeis et silvestribus daemonura ludifteationibus
decepti venerantur, ubi et vota vovent et deferunt.
i. p. 415.
' Midler, p. 62.
Eccard, Fran. Orient,
2 Burchard, 19. 5 : Comedisti aliquid de idolothito, i. e. de oblationibus
quse in quibusdam loeis ad sepulchra mortuorum fiunt, \el ad fontes, aut
ad arbores, aut ad lapides, aut ad bivia.
'*
Indie. Superst, c. 9 : De sacrificio quod fit alicui sanctorum ; c. 25
De eo quod sibi sanctos fingunt quoslibet mortuos. Cone. Germ. a. 742.
can. 5 (comp. Capitul. vii, 128) : ut populus Dei paganias non faciat, sed
omnes spurcities gentilitatis abjiciat et respuat, sive profana sacrificia mortuorum,
sive hostias immolatitias, quas stulti homines juxta ecclesias ritu
pagano faciunt, sub nomine sanctorum martyrum vel confessorum.
5 Indie. Superst. cc. 1, 2. Burchard, 10, 34. Bonifac. Ep, 44: sacrificia
mortuorum respuentes. Ep. 82 : sacrilegis presbyteris, qui tauros et
hircos diis paganorum immolabant, manducantes sacrificia mortuorum.
Capit. VI. 197: Admoneantur fideles ut ad suos mortuos non agant ea
quae de paganorum ritu remanserunt.
Et quando eos ad sepulturam portaveriut,
ilium ululatum excelsum non faciant et super eorum tumulos