Forlong - Rivers of Life

Serpent and Phallic Worship.
There is nothing new or strange in our finding stones in arks, caves, or cavers,
but, on the contrary, it would be strange not to find them in such places. Most of
the kistvaens or karns and tumuli of our islands, have yielded white stones, and
usually in pairs; see an account of some of the last opened,
as given by the writer of the excellent article in Good Words
of March 1872, where is described to us so ably the Earthen
Serpent of Loch Nell. The same holds good of existing caves
in India, where we usually find either pyramidal or ovate stones
in secret niches or ledges, if not in the most prominent place of
the cave, or shrine. I give here a drawing of a not uncommon
Eastern holy cave. In the Loch Etive karns, opened by Dr.
Angus Smith, writes Miss Gordon Cumming, “the white
stones were arranged in pairs, on a ledge of rock projecting
Fig. 60.—A SACRED CAVE.
above the urns, a single stone being placed at each end of this double row; another
single white pebble was found inside one of the urns.” . . . . “A considerable
number of similar pebbles of white quartz have recently been discovered in
various old British tombs, more especially in those tumuli lately examined by Mr.
Phené on the principal Isle of Cumbrae. Others have been found within the
Sacred Circle on the Isle of Man; a circle which, from time immemorial, has been held
in such reverence, that to this day the parliament of the island is there convened.”
Thus we have in Kal-IOnia urns or arks and dark adyta, with stones just as in
Indian shrines of this day. Further, we are told that near Inverury at the village of
Achnagoul, or “Place of the Stranger,” there was lately “a great oviform kairn
opened, measuring 120 by 30 feet, and running north and south;” and, says the writer
previously quoted, “in one of the principle chambers, there was discovered a
conical stone of white quartz, which undoubtedly had some connection with these mysterious
rites, being identical with that discovered by Mr. Phené at Letcombe Castle,
Berks., while a third has been found at Maiden Castle, near Weymouth; each in connection
with human remains. Precisely similar pillars of white quartz were found in
the excavations at Nineveh, and are now to be seen in the British Museum. In the
neighbourhood of this great chambered tumulus were found various incised stones,
bearing the ‘cup and ring’ mark, precisely like those near Lochgilphead.” The “incised
stones” convey, no doubt, such meaning as the learned author of the Hindoo
Pantheon alludes to in the case of incised trees; see page 69. We observe that
these kind of stones are always kept in dark adyta or arks, just as serpents are
kept, whether in Benares, Phrygia, or Syria, and the whole world has known of such
arks, serpents, and stones; so we need not be at all surprised at finding stones in the
Jewish Ark, but on the contrary, we should expect to find them; and therefore as soon
as we hear of the “ark of shittim wood,” as a bonâ fide ark, and not a mere
description of how an ark &c. is to be made (such as we see in the plainly interpo-
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