Chapter I: Preface

The aim of this volume is to enable those who are interested in Stonehenge and other great stone monuments of England to learn something of the similar buildings which exist in different parts of the world, of the men who constructed them, and of the great archaeological system of which they form a part. It is hoped that to the archaeologist it may be useful as a complete though brief sketch of our present knowledge of the megalithic monuments, and as a short treatment of the problems which arise in connection with them.

To British readers it is unnecessary to give any justification for the comparatively full treatment accorded to the monuments of Great Britain and Ireland. Malta and Sardinia may perhaps seem to occupy more than their due share of space, but the usurpation is justified by the magnificence and the intrinsic interest of their megalithic buildings. Being of singularly complicated types and remarkably well preserved they naturally tell us much more of their builders than do the simpler monuments of other larger and now more important countries. In these two islands, moreover, research has in the last few years been extremely active, and it is felt that the accounts here given of them will contain some material new even to the archaeologist.

In order to assist those readers who may wish to follow out the subject in greater detail a short bibliography has been added to the book.

For the figures and photographs with which this volume is illustrated I have to thank many archaeological societies and individual scholars. Plate III and part of Plate II I owe to the kindness of Dr. Zammit, Director of the Museum of Valletta, while the other part of Plate II is from a photograph kindly lent to me by Dr. Ashby. I have to thank the Society of Antiquaries for Figures 1 and 3, the Reale Accademia dei Lincei for Figures 17 and 20, and the Societe prehistorique de France, through Dr. Marcel Baudouin, for Figure 10. I am indebted to the Royal Irish Academy for Figure 8, to the Committee of the British School of Rome for Figure 18, and to Dr. Albert Mayr and the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Munich for the plan of Mnaidra. Professors Montelius, Siret and Cartailhac I have to thank not only for permission to reproduce illustrations from their works, but also for their kind interest in my volume. Figure 19 I owe to my friend Dr. Randall MacIver. The frontispiece and Plate I are fine photographs by Messrs. The Graphotone Co., Ltd.

In conclusion, I must not forget to thank Canon F.F. Grensted for much help with regard to the astronomical problems connected with Stonehenge.

T. ERIC PEET.

LIVERPOOL,
_August 10th,_ 1912.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. INTRODUCTION 1

II. STONEHENGE AND OTHER GREAT STONE
MONUMENTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES 15

III. MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS IN SCOTLAND
AND IRELAND 34

IV. THE SCANDINAVIAN MEGALITHIC AREA 52

V. FRANCE, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL 59

VI. ITALY AND ITS ISLANDS 76

VII. AFRICA, MALTA, AND THE SMALLER.
MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS 90

VIII. THE DOLMENS OF ASIA 114

IX. THE BUILDERS OF THE MEGALITHIC
MONUMENTS, THEIR HABITS, CUSTOMS,
RELIGION, ETC 123

X. WHO WERE THE BUILDERS, AND WHENCE
DID THEY COME? 143

BIBLIOGRAPHY 159

INDEX 167

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATES

Stonehenge from the south-east _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE
I. Stonehenge from the south-west 17
II. Mnaidra, doorway of Room H. The _Nuraghe_ of
Madrone in Sardinia 82
III. Temple of Mnaidra, Malta. Apse of chief room 100

FIGURE PAGE 1. Plan of Stonehenge 16 2. Avebury and Kennet Avenue 23 3. Plans of English Long Barrows 31 4. Horned tumulus, Caithness 39 5. Plans of three dolmen-types 40 6. Type-plan of simple corridor-tomb 42 7. Type-plan of wedge-shaped tomb 44 8. Corridor-tomb at New Grange, Ireland 47 9. Corridor-tomb at Ottagarden, Sweden 53 10. Plan of La Pierre aux Fees, Oise, France 61 11. Chambered mound at Fontenay-le-Marmion, Normandy 63 12. Plan of La Grotte des Fees, Arles, France 65 13. The so-called dolmen-deity, Petit Morin, France 66 14. Plan of corridor-tomb at Los Millares, Spain 69 15. Section and plan of a _talayot_, Majorca 72 16. Section and plan of the _nau_ d'Es Tudons 73 17. Elevation, section and plan of a Sardinian _nuraghe_ 83 18. Plan of Giant's Tomb at Muraguada, Sardinia 87 19. Plan of stone circle at the Senam, Algeria 94 20. Plan of the Sese Grande, Pantelleria 97 21. Plan of the Sanctuary of Mnaidra, Malta 99 22. Dolmen with holed stone at Ala Safat 115

ROUGH STONE MONUMENTS