Page:Prehistoric Britain.djvu/162

 incised circles nor spirals are to be seen on metal-work in this country—presenting in this respect a marked contrast to the bronze relics of the Scandinavian archæological area.

Of archaic sculpturing on stones and solid rock-surfaces in the form of cups, cup-and-rings, concentric circles, spirals and irregular geometrical figures, there is no lack of specimens in North Britain and Ireland; but although much has been written on the subject, none of the theories purporting to explain their meaning has met with general acceptance.

On analyzing the various decorative elements in these lapidary sculpturings they readily fall to be classified as follows: (1) Simple cups; (2) cup-and-rings; (3) cup-and-rings interrupted by gutter channels; (4) concentric circles; (5) semi-concentric circles; (6) spirals; (7) stars, wheels and enclosed spaces; (8) zigzag, wavy or parallel lines.

Cups vary greatly in size, from about one to several inches in diameter, and from half- an-inch to about an inch and a half in depth. They occur sometimes singly, but generally in groups—often forming the only ornament on a stone—and occasionally in combination with some of the other forms above defined. Simple cups have a wide distribution in Western Europe, comprising the Iberian peninsula, the British Isles, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.

Rings are not so deeply cut as cups, and they may be either complete circles, or