Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/408

258 encounter on the shores of the Firth of Forth, long infested by the marauding navigators of the North.

The name of the sepulchral mound merits a brief notice. The term "Law" is applied to the various hills in the neighbourhood, as also in other parts of Great Britain, being used to designate an elevation either natural or artificial. In Staffordshire and Derbyshire, the primitive tumulus is termed "Low;" in Ireland they are known as "Lawes." Jamieson remarks that it might be supposed, if the name be derived from the Anglo-Saxon,—Llaewe, Llawe, agger, acervus,—that it had been primarily given to artificial mounds raised over the dead, and afterwards transferred to natural elevations. The question may perhaps be legitimately raised, whether the "Law-hill" of North Britain, the ancient place of legislative assembly in certain districts, the Laug-berg of Iceland ("locus publicus ubi judicia peraguntur"), is a term radically the same as the Anglo-Saxon word. Upon this point we must refer our readers to the observations in Jamieson's valuable Dictionary.

In the designation, Norrie's Law, the notion naturally presents itself that some tradition may be sought, which might aid in the appropriation of the tumulus. We must leave this inquiry to Scottish etymologists. Mr, Cosmo Innes remarks that the name occurs in other places, and that he has been unable to offer any explanation which might serve to throw light upon the present inquiry. Similarity of sound might recall the Norman name, Le Noreis—the Northron; but this seems obviously irrelevant to the question.

In the neighbourhood of Largo may yet be seen a remarkable example of the stone monuments of a very early age, usually known as the "standing stones of Lundin." Three only now exist, as shown in the annexed representation. Tradition, however, says that there was a fourth stone, destroyed by treasure-seekers, who dug it up; and it is believed that the stones are as deep below the surface as they rise above it. They are formed of yellowish-coloured sandstone, apparently the same which abounds in the neighbourhood, containing fossil ferns, and where exposed to the weather, they have assumed a picturesque, grey colour. They stand on a flat piece of ground about three quarters of a mile from Largo Bay. The dimensions of the most lofty are,—16 feet high by 3$1⁄2$, and 2$1⁄2$ thick; the smallest measures 14$1⁄2$ feet by 7$1⁄2$, and 2$1⁄2$ thick. We are indebted to the