The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . for without that inhuman cases it was believed to have no effect.^ That such was no modern super-stition he conceives is proved by a variety of evidence, as where Montfaucon re-marks that it was customary in early times to deposit crystal balls in urns orsepulchres : thus twenty were found at Rome in an alabastrine urn, and one wasdiscovered in 1653 at Tournai, in the tomb of Childeric, King of France, who 480. It appears to be only natural to the uninstructed mind to associateobjects which it cannot explain with some mysterious and
The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . for without that inhuman cases it was believed to have no effect.^ That such was no modern super-stition he conceives is proved by a variety of evidence, as where Montfaucon re-marks that it was customary in early times to deposit crystal balls in urns orsepulchres : thus twenty were found at Rome in an alabastrine urn, and one wasdiscovered in 1653 at Tournai, in the tomb of Childeric, King of France, who 480. It appears to be only natural to the uninstructed mind to associateobjects which it cannot explain with some mysterious and superhumanend ; and hence the superseded implements of a long extinct race be-come the chai-ms and talismans of their superstitious successors. One other class of primitive relics remains to be noted, belonging to the same early period. These are the ornaments, weapons, and tools of horn or bone ; such as the lances or harpoons already described as found alongside of the stranded whales in the alluvial valley of the Pennants Tour, vol. i. p. WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS. 141 Forth. Such relics are by no means rare, notwithstanding the perish-able nature of the matei-ial of Avhich they are constructed. Barrydescribes among- the contents of the Orkney tumuli, swords madeof the bone of a large fish, and also daggers. l The woodcut repre-sents what should perhaps be regarded as a bone dagger. It wasfound in a stone cist near Kirkwall, lying beside a rude urn, and isnow in the possession of Dr. Traill. It measures 7i inches long, and appears to be made of theouter half of the lower por-tion of the right metatarsalbone of an ox. The notchescut on it are perhaps de-signed to give a firmer hold, while they also serve the purpose ofrude attempts at ornament. Their effect, however, is greatly toweaken the weapon and render it liable to break. The cross mayperhaps suggest to some the associations of a later period, butlittle importance can be attached to so simple and obvious a meansof d
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