INTERESTING DISCOVERY

Inangahua Times, 23 December 1931, Page 3

INTERESTING DISCOVERY

OLD STONE AND ITS STORY An interesting discovery has been made in the Isle of Man, on the site of an early Christian burial-ground. It is a black stone five feet long and ten inches wide er-graved with figures pf animals which are believed to have been carved in the Bronze Age. Both the Abbe Breuil of Paris and Mr P Me* Kermode, curator of the Manx museum, t are convinced of the period, because the work cl sely resembles Scandinavian rock engravings of the Bronze Age. But over the pagan artist’s work somebody long afterward cut a cross. It was quite a small plain cross, yet somebody centuries ago hoped it would be enough 10 turn the bad stone into a good one one that was fir for use in a Christian burial-g wund. The stone, which is of black slate, has been polished by man, and was handsome enough o tempt the convert to use it. Part of the stone has been hewn away, perhaps because it bore some pagan symbol. Up till now no Scandimv-an work of Bronze Age peril d has been found in the British Isles. 1