DolmenatAuvernierneartheLakeofNeuchatel。
Wehaveseenthatmenbeganbyplacingthebodiesoftheirdeadincaves，andonlylatertooktoburyingthemundergroundwhencaveswerenottobehad。Veryoftenthecorpsewasplacedbetweenlargeunhewnstonestokeepofffromittheweightofthetumulusabove。Suchwerethelastresting-placesalikeofthemenofSolutreandofthoseofMerovingiantimes。InthenecropolisofVilanova，whichissupposedtodatefromtimespriortothefoundationofRome，thetombsenclosedachest，thewallsofwhichconsistedofslabsofsandstonesetonedgeandconnectedbyaconglomerateofsmallstones。AtMarzabotto，thechestsaremadeofbricks，andplacedbeneathaheapofpebbles。WereproduceachestdiscoveredneartheLakeDwellingsofAuvernierinSwitzerlandFig。106[300]andanotherFig。107broughttolightbyMM。SiretinthesouthofSpain。Thesedrawingswillhelpusbetterthanlongdescriptionstoformanideaofthismodeofburial。
Astonechestusedasasepulchre。
Inothercasesthedeadbodywasenclosedinearthenwarejars。AtBiskrainAlgeria，twoofthesejarswerefoundtogether；theonecontainingthehead，theotherthefeetofthedeparted。Insomeinstancesthejarwasreplacedbyalargeclumsyearthenwarebasin，somesixandahalffeetlongbythreefeetwide。SuchbasinsarementionedashavingbeenfoundnearAthens，butthereisnothingtohelpustodeterminetheirdate。TheancientIberiansusedonelargejaronlyFig。108inwhichthedeadwasplacedinacrouchingposition，stillwearinghisfavoriteornaments。Thevasewasclosedwithastonecoverandplacedinthetomb。Wemeetwiththepracticeofasimilarmodeofintermentinhistorictimes。TheChaldeansplacedtheirdeadinearthenwarevases；twojarsconnectedattheneckservingasacoffin。ExcavationsinNebuchadnezzar’spalacebroughttolightbodiesbentnearlydoubleandenclosedinurnsnotmorethanthreefeetinheightbyabouttwofeetinwidth。OnthewesterncoastofMalabar，asfarasCapeComorin，wefindnearmegalithictombslargejarsfourfeethighbythreefeetindiameterfilledwithhumanbones。ThismodeofsepulturewaspractisedatSfax，intheChersonesusofThracia，andatthefootofthehillonwhichTroywasbuilt。ThetumulusofHanai-Tepehcoveredoverahugeamphorainwhichcrouchedaskeleton，andthewealthyJapaneselovedtoknowtheywouldrestinhugeartisticallydecoratedvases，masterpiecesofnativepottery。IfwecrosstheAtlantic，wemeetwiththesamecustominPeru，Mexico，andontheshoresoftheMississippi。AtTeotihuacan，thebodiesofchildrenwereplacedheaddownwardsinfuneralurns，[301]andexcavationsinthealluvialdepositsoftheMississippiyielded，amongimmensequantitiesofpottery，twohugerectangularbasinsgluedtogetherwithclayandcontainingthebodyofayoungchild。Itisindeedinterestingtomeetwiththesamepracticeinsomanydifferentplacesandtofindthegeniusofmanyracesexpressingitselfinthesamewayinsomanydiverseinventions，producedattimessowidelyseparated。
Exampleofburialinajar。
Itisprobablethatearlymanalsoturnedtoaccountthetreeshesawgrowingaroundhim，usingthemascoffinsforhisdead。Buttherapiddecayofthisfragilecaseledtoitstotaldisappearance。A
fewexceptionsmust，however，bementioned。In1840somedredgerstookfromthebedoftheSaone，atApremont，frombeneathabedofgravelfivefeetthick，thetrunkofatreewhichstillcontainedthebonesthathadbeenplacedinit。SimilardiscoveriesweremadeintheCher，andinthecelebratedcemeteryofHallstadt，nearSalzburg。ThecairnsofScaniacoveredoversplittrunksofoakandbirchtrees，whichhadbeenhollowedouttoreceivethedead。AtGristhorpe，nearScarborough，inEngland，acoffinwasfoundmadeofscarcelysquaredplanksroughlyputtogether；andanotherverylikeitwasdiscoveredatHove，inSussex，thelattercontainingasplendidambercup，evidenceofthewealthofthemanwhohadbeenburiedinthisprimitivecoffin。[302]
TheancientCaledoniansseweduptheirdeadintheskinsofoxenbeforeburyingthem。TheEgyptiansalsoembalmedtheibis，theox，thecat，thecrocodile，andotheranimalsdeifiedbythem，andthebodiesofthesecreatureswerethenplacedinvastsubterraneanchambers，wheretheyhavebeendiscoveredinthepresentdayingreatnumbers。TheGuanchesofTeneriffe，thelastrepresentativesoftheIberians，andprobablythemostancientraceofEurope，tookouttheintestinesofthecorpse，driedthebodyintheair，painteditwithathickvarnish，andfinallywrappeditintheskinofagoat。Thislastcustomwasevidentlyarelicoftheoriginalideaofembalming，withaviewtorenderingthemummyasnearlyaspossibleindestructibleand，touseahappyexpressionofMichelet，tocompeldeathtoendureFORCERLAMORT
DEDURER。Ourowncontemporariesarethusabletolookupontheveryfeaturesofthosewhoprecededthemontheearthsomefortycenturiesago；andbutyesterdayphotographyreproducedineverydetailwhatwasonceRamsestheGreat，oneofthemostgloriouskingsofhistory。
Aymaramummy。
EmbalmingwasalsopractisedinAmerica。Recenttravellersreport[303]
havingseeninUpperPerutombsoftheshapeofbeehives，madeofstonescementedwithclay，eachtombcontainingonemummyormoreinacrouchingpositionFigs。109and110。Thiscustomwasstillpractisedformanycenturies；GarcilassodelaVegatellsusthatthedeadIncaswereseatedinatempleatCuzco，wearingtheirroyalornamentsasiftheywerestillalive；theirhandswerecrossedupontheirbreasts，andtheirheadswerebendingslightlyforward。[304]
Thefactsenumeratedaboveprovethatburialwaslongpractised，thoughitisimpossibletosaywhenitfirstcattleintouse。AboutthetimeofthebeginningoftheBronzeage，orperhapsevenearlier，however，aremarkablechangetookplaceintheideasofman，andthedeadinsteadofbeingburiedintactwereconsumedbyfireonthefuneralpile。
Whatcanhavebeentheoriginofthiscustom？Whatracefirstpractisedit？IthaslongbeensupposedbymanyarchaeologiststhatitwastheAryansfromtheloftyHindooKooshMountainswhofirstintroducedintoEuropeacivilizationmoreadvancedthanthatwhichhadhithertoobtainedthere，andtaughtthepeopletocremateinsteadofburytheirdead。Thistheorywasacceptedforaconsiderabletimewithoutquestion，butoflateyearsanewschool，headedbyPenka，hasarisenwhoclaimthatthereformerscamenotfromtheEastbutfromtheNorth。TheMarquisdeSaportahadindeedbeforesuggestedthattheprimitiveraceswhowerethecontemporariesofthemammothandtherhinoceroscameoriginallyfromthepolarregions，wheretheremainsofaluxuriantvegetationprovethatclimaticconditionsprevailedinremotetimesofaverydifferentcharactertothoseofthepresentday。ThelignitesofIcelandaremadeupoftulip，plantain，andnut-trees，eventhevinesometimesoccurring。Intheferruginoussandstones，associatedwiththecarboniferousdepositsofSpitzberg，thebeech，thepoplar，themagnolia，theplumtree，thesequoia，andnumerousconiferoustreescanbemadeout。ThesturdysailorswhodaretheregionsofperpetualicecomeacrossmassesoffossilizedwoodinBanks，Grinnell，andFrancisJoseph’sLands，at88[degree]N。Lat。AmongthisfossilwoodHeermadeoutthecypress，thesilverpine，thepoplar，thebirch，andsomedicotyledonswithcaducousleaves。Thesewerenotrelicsofwoodwhichhaddriftedwhereitwasfoundonfloatingice，butofanactuallocalvegetation，asprovedbytrunksstillerectintheiroriginalpositions，buds，leaves，andflowersineverystageofgrowth，fruitsineverystageofripening。Theveryinsectsthathadlivedonhoneyfromtheflowersorontheleavesthemselvescouldbeidentified。Inthoseremotedays，life，abundantlife，similartothatnowonlyfoundinthetemperatecountriesfarthersouth，flourishedinthosepolarregions，solongsupposedtohaveneverbeenanythingbutlifelessdeserts。
Peruvianmummies。
Allthis，plausibleasitis，doesnot，however，appeartobeconclusiveonthepointunderdiscussion；andthough，wemayhavetoabandontheideaoftheAryanshavingintroducedcremation，wearescarcely，Ithink，inapositiontosaythatracesfromtheNorthwerethefirsttopractiseit。Ihavedweltmorefullyonthequestionoftheoriginofracesandtheevidencewhichlanguageseemstogiveofacommonsourceintwopaperscalled“LesPremiersPopulationsdel’Europe，“whichappearedintheCORRESPONDENTforOctober1andNovember25，1889。Whatevermaybethefinaldecisiononthemuchcontestedpointsinvolvedinthiscontroversy，onethingiscertainthatcremation，involvingthoughitdoesacompleterevolutioninmannersandcustoms，spreadwithverygreatrapidity。WemeetwithitfromGreecetoScotlandandScandinavia，fromEtruriatoPolandandthesouthofRussia，inChinaasinYucatanandcertainpartsofCentralAmerica。
Intheearlydaysofhistory，cremationwaspractisedalloverEurope。TheGreeksattributeitsinaugurationtoHercules，andthefuneralpileofPatroklesisdescribedintheIliad。ThePelasgiansandtheProto-Etruscansburnedtheirdead，[305]andwearetoldoftheincinerationofcontemporariesofJair，thethirdjudgeofIsrael。
Ontheotherhand，theearliestinhabitantsofLatiumburiedtheirdead。Visitors，whoprobablycamebywayofthevalleyoftheDanube，introducedthenewcustom，andforalongtunethetworiteswerepractisedsidebyside。AtFelsinaandatMarzabottowefindinstancesalikeofinhumationandcremation，andatVilanovaonlyhalfthetombsarethoseofcorpsesthathadbeencremated。In365ofthetombsexcavatedintheCertosa，nearBologna，only115showsignsofcremationhavingbeenpractised。AtRome，thetworiteswerelongbothperformed，probably，however，bythetwodistinctpeopleswhoformedtheprimitivepopulationofthetownofRomulus。WeknowthatNumaPompiliusforbadetheburningofhiscorpse；CicerorelatesthatMariuswasburied，andthatSulla，hisfortunaterival，wasthefirstoftheCorneliaGENSwhosebodywascommittedtotheflames。WedonotknowhowearlycremationwasintroducedinGaul；wecanonlysaythatCaesarfounditgenerallypractisedwhenbemadehistriumphalmarchacrossthecountry。[306]ThecelebratedexcavationsofMoreauprovethatinhumationandincinerationwerebothpractisedamongtheGallo-RomansestablishedintheeasternprovincesofFrance。Wemayevenassertthatthetworiteswerepractisedlongbeforetheintroductionoftheuseofmetals。Onethingiscertain，thecustomofcremationwasbutslowlyabandonedasChristianityspread，forCharlemagne，inanedictdated789，orderedthepunishmentofdeathforthosewhodaredtoburndeadbodies。
Whatwehavejustsaidabouthistorictimesappliesequallytomoreremoteepochs。ThankstothelearnedresearchesofDr。Prunieres[307]
weareabletotraceforagreatlengthoftimethemodesofsepultureadoptedinLozere。ThecavemenoftheerodedlimestonedistrictsofLesCaussestooktheirdeadtothecavesinwhichtheirancestorshadbeenlaid，andtheinvaders，whowereprobablymorecivilizedthanthosetheydispossessed，placedtheirsbeneaththedolmenswhichtheyerectedintheirhonor。InthesepulchralcavesofRouquetandofL’HOMMEMORTwefindinhumation；beneaththemegalithicmonumentsdatingfromtheendoftheNeolithicperiod，wemeetwiththefirsttracesofcremation，butsofarofaveryincompletecremation；
theactionofthefuneralfirehadnotbeenintense，andtheboneswerehardandresistedtheheat。Notingbeneathcertaindolmensafewbonesblackenedbyfiremixedwithlargequantitiesunaffectedbyit，oneisinclinedtothinkwiththelearnedDoctor，thatafterpractisingcremationmenhadrevertedtotheoldmodeofburial。InthetumulioftheBronzeage，ontheotherhand，wherethedatecanbedeterminedwiththeaidoftheornamentsandtrinketsscateredabout，theustionwasmorecomplete；thebonesarefriableandporous，crumblingintodustwhentouched，andthereisnothingtoindicatethatinhumationandcremationwerebothpractised。
ItisstrangeindeedtofindthatincinerationwaspractisedfromNeolithictimesinthewildmountainsofLozere。Therecanbenodoubtonthepoint，however，andexcavationsbeneaththedolmenofMarconnieresstrikinglyconfirmtheearlierdiscoveriesofDr。Prunieres。Beneathalayerofbrokenstonesandaverythinpavement，wasfoundamassofhumanbonesinthegreatestconfusion；
somestillretainingtheirnaturalcolor，othersblackenedandcharredby。fire。Amongtheseboneswaspickedupanarrowofrockforeigntothecountry，threeadmirablypolishedlance-heads，andsomefinelycutflint-darts。Thedolmencontainednometalobjects，andtherewasnotraceofmetalonanyofthebones。
AtthesameperiodthetworitesappeartohavebeenpractisedsimultaneouslyinArmorica，butthereincinerationwasthedominantcustom。Inonehundredandforty-fivemegalithicmonumentssupposedtodatefromtheNeolithicperiod，seventy-twogiveproofofincinerationandtwentyofinhumationonly。Theothersyieldedafewcinders，butitwasimpossibletocometoanydefiniteconclusion。Inmanycases，aswehaveseen，themegalithicmonumentwassurroundedbyadoubleortripleENCEINTEofstoneswithoutmortar。InsidetheseENCEINTES
weresomesmallcircularstructuresmadeofstonesreddenedbytheactionofheat。Inthelowerpartofthesestructureswereopeningstoadmitacurrentofairtofantheflames。Thesestrangestructures，fullofcindersandblackgreasyearth，bearthesignificantnameofRUCHESDECREMATION。[308]Ofthirty-ninesepulchresoftheBronzeagetwenty-sevengaveevidenceofincineration，twoofinhumation，whilsttendecidednothingonewayortheother。[309]ThedolmenofMontSt-MichelandthatofTumiacareseparatedbyashortdistanceonly；theywereerectedbythesameraceandprobablyaboutthesameperiod，yetatMontSt-Michelwefindincineration，whileinhumationwaspractisedatTumiac。Howexplainthisdifferenceinfuneralcustoms？Doesitimplyadiversityofrace，ofcaste，ofreligion，orofsocialposition，ormayitnotratherbeexplainedasbeingmerelytheresultofthoselaterdisplacementswhichupsetthemostcarefulreasoning？
Whatevermayhavebeenthecauseofthedifferentmodesofburial，wemeetwiththemineverycountry。