IronwasnotusedinBrittanyuntiltowardsthecloseoftheperiodduringwhichmegalithicmonumentswereerected。Stone，bronze，andironwerefoundtogetherintheNignoltombatCarnac，whichdatesfromthetimewhencremationwasalreadypractised。WefindthesameassociationofdifferentmaterialsintheRocherdolmen。
　　IntheBritishIsles，especiallyinScotlandandinIreland，bronzeandironobjectsaremorenumerousthaninFrance。AtAspatria，nearSt。BeesinCumberland，acistwasdiscoveredcontainingtheskeletonofamanmeasuringsevenfeetfromthecrownoftheheadtothefeet。Nearthegiantlaynumerousvaluableobjects，includinganironswordinlaidwithsilver，agoldbuckle，thefragmentsofashieldandofabattle-axe，andtheironbitofasnafflebridle。ThegreatcairnofDowth，inIreland，containedironknivesandringsmixedwithboneneedles，copperpins，andglassandamberbeads，allshowingrapidprogressintheindustrialarts。TheremarkablecairnsnearLoughCrewIreland，whichwereuntouchedandindeedunknowntoarchaeologistsuntil1863，werefoundtocontain，amongstmanyotherinterestingobjects，numeroushumanbones，fragmentsofpottery，shellsofmarinemollusca，4，884boneimplements，andsevenpiecesofironverymuchoxidized。ThetumulioftheGrandDuchyofPosenandthoseofPrussiacoverkistvaenscontainingfuneralvases，weapons，andsilverandgoldornaments。
　　Wearealtogetherinthedarkastothedateortheuseofthevariousobjectsfoundinthesetombs，andthecoinsbearingdateswhichareoftenassociatedwiththem，donotseemtohelpusmuch，belongingastheydoubtlessdotoamuchlaterperiodthantheerectionofthemonuments。Wemay，however，mentionthatnearthesurfaceofthemoundofMane-er-H’roekelevenmedalsofRomanemperorsfromTiberiustoTrajanwerefound；whilstunderthetumulusofRosmeur，onthePenmarchPointFinistere，werevariousRomancoins；atBergousinLocmariaker，atMane-Rutual，andatotherplacesinBrittany，coinsoftheearliestChristianemperors；atUley，inGloucestershire，somecoinsofthetimeofthesonsofConstantine；atMining-LowDerbyshire，beneathakistvaensurroundedbyacromlech，somemedalsofValentinianus；
　　atGalley-Low，withamagnificentgoldnecklacesetwithgarnets，acoinofHonorius，butastheselastwerefoundattheouteredgeofthemoundtherearedoubtsastothetimeoftheirdeposition；
　　thesedoubtswere，however，tosomeextentsetatrestbythefindingofacoinofGetabeneaththemonumentitself。Wemightmultiplyinstancesofsimilarfinds，butIwillonlymentiononemore，thediscoveryundersomeScotchbarrowsofsilvernecklacesandcoinsoftheCaliphsofBagdad，bearingdatefrom88887to945A。D。
　　ThislastdiscoveryconfirmswhatIhavealreadysaid，thattheintroductionofthecoinswasofmuchlaterdatethantheerectionofthemonument。Anotherfactaddsweighttothisdecision。ThemostancientGalliccoinsdatefromaboutthreecenturiesbeforeourera，andtheearliestBritishfromacenturyearlierthanthat。Howisitthatexcavationshavebroughttolightnospecimensofeither？TheRomanssuccessivelyoccupiedallthecountriesofwhichwehavejustspoken；thetombsthemselvesbearwitnesstotheirconquests；anditistotheviolationofthetombs，thedisplacements，andsecondaryintermentsthatweowetheintroductionofcoins，pottery，andbricksthatundoubtedlydatefromtheRomanperiod，andwereprobablyplacedbesidetheirdeadbytheRomanlegionaries。
　　Whatevermaybethedifficulties，however，wearealreadyabletocometocertaindefiniteconclusions。Wecannotconnectthemegalithicmonumentswithanyoneoftheancientreligionsknown。TheywerecertainlynotsetupinhonorofOdinorofOsiris，ofAstarteorofAthene，thePhoenicianortheEgyptian，theGreekortheRomangods；
　　theirerectionseemstohavehadbutoneendinview，todohonortothedead。Beneathnoneofthemdowefindtheremainseitherofthecave-bearorofthereindeer，stilllessofthemammothoroftherhinoceros；whereaswedoconstantlymeetwiththebonesofanimalscharacteristicofNeolithictimes。Itisthereforetothatperiodthatwemustattributethemoreancientofthesemysteriousmonuments。AndthesettingupofsuchmemorialscontinuedthroughouttheintermediatetimebetweentheStoneandBronzeages，andthroughtheBronzeandIronperiods。Itwas，indeed，stillpractisednowandthenintheearliercenturiesoftheChristianera。Morethanthat，suchmonumentsareevennowoccasionallyerected。TheKhassiasofIndiamakecromlechsoflarge，flatunhewnstones，somesixtosevenfeethigh，andtheAngami-NagasoftheextremenorthofBritishIndiasetupextensivealignmentsofmenhirs，similartothoseofFrance。InscriptionsintheoldIrishcipherwriting，knownasogham，provethatmegalithicmonumentswereerectedinIrelandafterthetimeofSt。Patrick；and，aswehavealreadyremarked，someoftheBretonmenhirsaresurroundedbycrosses。InIndia，too，wefindthesymboloftheChristianfaith，andin1867，werediscoveredontheshoresoftheGodaverybetweenHyderabadandNagpore，afewdolmensmadeoffouruprightstonessurmountedbyoneortwoslabsofsandstone，andencirclingacrosswhichissaidtodatefromthesameageasthedolmensthemselves。Wemustadd，however，thatthemostcompetentarchaeologistsareofopinionthatthisformofthecrosswasnotintroducedintoIndiauntilaboutthesixthorseventhcenturyofourera。ProbablytheerectionofmegalithicmonumentswasnotdiscontinuedinEnglandorinFranceuntiltowardstheeighthorninthcenturyafterChrist；andthemenhirssetuplaterinScotlandandinScandinaviaprovehowfondlythepeopleofthosecountriesclungtoancienttraditions。Theserudestonemonumentswerehandeddownfromoneracetoanother，frominvaderstoinvaded，fromconqueredtoconquerors。
　　Wemustnot，however，omittomentiononeseriousobjection。Romanhistorians，exactasistheirdescriptionofGaul，Britannia，andGermania，aresilentastostonemonuments。TacitusdoesnotrefertoStonehengeortoAvebury。CaesarwaspresentatthenavalbattlebetweenhisownfleetandthatoftheVeneti，intheGulfofMorbihan，andifthemegalithicmonumentsofCarnacwerethenthere，wouldtheynothavearrestedtheattentionofthegreatcaptain？ThissilenceisthemoreinexplicableasoneoftheearliestgeographersmentionsthestoneofIapygia；Ptolemyspeaksofasimilarstoneontheshoresoftheocean；Strabo，ofagroupofdolmensnearCapeCuneus；QuintusCurtius，ofanimportantalignmentinBactriana；
　　Pliny，whomentionsaleaningpillarinAsiaMinor，saysnothingofthemegalithicmonumentsofGaul，whichhecrossedseveraltimes。Moreover，Ausonius，Sidonius，Appollinaris，andFortunatus，whoaresoeagertoglorifytheirownland，maintainasimilarsilencewithregardtothesestructures。Sulpicius，Severus，andGregoryofTours，oldchroniclersofFrenchhistory，alsopassthemoverwithoutaword。Morethanthat，MadamedeSevigne，whowasstoppingatAurayin1689，andvisiteditsenvirons，writestoherdaughterofallshehasseenanddone，withoutalludingtothealignmentsofCarnac，orofErdeven，whichwere，ofcourse，muchmorecompleteinherdaythaninours。Infact，theyarementionedforthefirsttimebySauvagere，inhis“RecueildesAntiquitesdelaGaule，“inwhichheattributesthemtotheRomans。Wemaytherefore，perhaps，concludethatthesedecayedandclumsy-lookingmonumentsweredespisedforgenerations，noonerealizingtheirimportanceorcaringtopenetratetheirsecrets。
　　Ifneedwere，wehaveyetotherproofsoftheirextremeantiquity。InexcavatinganalignmentinthedistrictoccupiedbytheKermariogroup，aRomanencampmentwasdiscovered。Theenceinteisrepresentedbyalongwallaboutsixfeetthick，andproppedupagainstthiswallwerefoundanumberofflatstonesblackenedwithsmoke，onwhichthelegionariesdoubtlesscookedtheirfood。Insomeinstancesthesehearthsweremadeonanoverturnedmenhir，andothermenhirs，whichhadbelongedtothealignment，werefittedintothewalls。ARomanroadpassesnearAvebury，and，contrarytotheirgeneralcustom，thehaughtyconquerorshadturnedasidetoavoidthetumulus。ThesearedecisiveproofsthatinFranceandEnglandatleastthemegalithicmonumentswereerectedbeforetheadventoftheRomans。
　　Difficultasitistocometoanydefiniteconclusionastotheageofthemonuments，itisyetmoredifficulttoascertaintowhatracetheirbuildersbelonged。Inthefirstplaceweask：Aretheyalltheworkofonerace？Thecontrary，earnestlymaintainedbyM。deMortillet，haslongbeenthegeneralopinion。M。Worsaaedeclared，attheBrusselsCongress，[164]thatthedolmenswereerectedbydifferentpeoples；
　　M。CazalisdeFondouce，[165]M。Broca，[166]andM。Cartailhac，[167]
　　sharethisbelief。“Arenotthemonumentsofhugestones，“saysM。Fondouce，“theproductofaprogressivecivilizationgrowingbydegrees，ratherthantheworkofasinglepeoplemaintainingtheirownmannersandcustomsinthemidstoftheoldprimitivepopulationstheyvisited，withoutborrowinganythingfromtheirhosts？“ToBroca，theresemblancebetweenthedolmensofEurope，Africa，andevenofAmericaprovesbutonethingthesimilarityoftheaspirationsandpowersofallmen。Everywhere，andateverytime，menhaveaimed，intheirmonuments，notonlyatdurability，butattheexpressionofforceandofpower。Itwaswiththisendinviewthattheyerectedmenhirsandselectedenormousstonesfortheirmegalithicmonuments。Thedolmen，whichlookslikeanarchitecturalbuilding，isbutamodificationofprimitivetombs。Thecave-manfirstturnedtoaccountnaturalorartificialrockshelters，andwhentheywerenottobehad，heimitatedtheminsuchmaterialsashehadathisdisposal。Hencewehavecrypts，kistvaens，anddolmens；
　　andtheresemblancebetweenthemprovesnothingastotheparentageoftheirbuilders。
　　Wemayaddthatthedistancesbetweenwhatwemaycallmegalithiczonesisconsiderable。Wemeet，forinstance，withdolmensinCircassiaandintheCrimea，buttherearenoothersnearerthantheBaltic。TherearenoneinthedistrictspeopledbytheBelgae，fromtheDrenthetothebordersofNormandy，norarethereanyinthevalleysoftheRhineoroftheScheldt。TherearebutafewinItalyorinGreece，wherePelasgicbuildingswereearlyerected，andborewitnesstoamoreadvancedcivilization。Wemeetwiththemagain，however，inPalestine，butwemusttraversemanymilesbeforewefindotherexamplesatPeshawurandinthevalleyofCabul。Itisdifficulttooverratetheimportanceofthesefacts，ortoexplainthesegaps。Arethey，however，socompleteashasbeensupposed？ThefewtravellerswhohavecrossedAfghanistanandDaghestanhaveseentumuliwhichmayhaveservedaspointsofunionbetweenthemonumentsofIndiaandthoseoftheCaucasus。ThemegalithicmonumentsofPalestineandofArabiamayyetbefoundtobelinkedwiththoseofAlgeria，byexamplesinthelittleknownregionsbetweentheNileandtheRegencyofTripoli。Ifourignoranceforbidsustoassertanythingonthispoint，itequallyforbidsourdenyinganythingwithanyconfidence。Wemayalsoaddonegeneralremark：thecountrieswheremegalithicmonumentsarefound，aboundingranite，insandstone，andinflint，whilstotherdistrictshaveonlyveryfriablelimestones；and，theirmonuments，iftheywereevererected，wouldhavebeenmoreeasilydestroyed，theveryruinsdisappearingandleavingnotrace。
　　Ithasbeensaid，moreover，thatthemodeofconstructionofthedolmens，andwehateourselvesmadethesameremark，isfarfrombeingthesameeverywhere。ThedolmensofBrittanyhavesepulchralchamberswithlongpassagesleadingtothem；thoseoftheneighborhoodofParishavewidecoveredavenueswithaveryshortentrancelobby。InthesouthofFranceweseenothingbutrectangularcompartmentsformedoffourorfivecolossalstones。Allthisistrueenough；
　　butifweexamineouroldcathedralsofcomparativelymoderndate，thecommonoriginofwhichisneverdisputed，wenotedifferencesnolessremarkable。Ontheotherhanditisurgedthatifmegalithicmonumentswereallerectedbyonerace，theobjectstheycontainwouldcertainlyresembleeachothertoagreatextent。Buteventhisisnotthecase。ThehatchetssonumerousinthewestofFrancearerareinthesouth；thosefromtheAlgerianmonumentsarealwaysofcoarseworkmanship，whilstthoseofDenmarkarehighlyfinished。Wemightmultiplyinstances，butasamatteroffactdowenotseethesamekindofthinginthepresentday，inspiteofourrailwaysandothermodesofrapidcommunication，andtheperpetualintermarryingofmodernpeoples？ComparetheornamentsofNormandywiththoseoftheBasqueprovinces，thoseofBrittanywiththoseofBurgundy，andsurelythedifferencesbetweenthemwillbefoundtobeasgreataswenoteintheweaponsandornamentsofthebuildersofthemegalithicmonuments。
　　Tosumup：accordingtotheopinionofmanyeminentsavants，numerousraceshavebeeninthehabitofraisingmegalithicmonuments，theformofwhichvariesADINFINITUMaccordingtothegeniusorthecircumstancesofeachrace，andaccordingtothenatureofthesoilorofthematerialatthedisposalofthebuilders。All，however，belongtoonegeneraltype，andbearwitnesstoonegeneralinfluence，whichextendedthroughoutthewholeworldatacertainepoch。M。CazalisdeFondouce，fromwhomIborrowtheselastobservations，wouldprobablyfinditasdifficulttosayhowageneralinfluencewasextendedtoracesofwhichhedeniesthecommonparentage，andtherelationsandcontemporaneityhecanbutguessat，asImyselfshould——grantingthecontraryhypothesis——toexplainhowapeoplecouldwanderabouttheworldinincessantmigrationswithoutmodifyingitsownhabitsorcommunicatingtoothersitsritesanditsmodeoferectingmonuments。