Mr.D'Alton's (2) second argument is, that it was improbable the Christians would have erected churches of wood and bell towers of stone, or have bestowed incomparably more care and skill on the erection of these towers, no matter for what use they may have been intended, than on the churches, which should surely be their first care.[163] The cromlechs next claim our notice.

There has been no question of their pagan origin; and, indeed, this method of honouring or interring the dead, seems an almost universal custom of ancient peoples.[164] Cremation does not appear to have been the rule as to the mode of interment in ancient Erinn, as many remains of skeletons have been found; and even those antiquarians who are pleased entirely to deny the truth of the _historical_ accounts of our early annalists, accept their statements as to customs of the most ancient date.

When the dead were interred without cremation, the body was placed either in a horizontal, sitting, or recumbent posture.

When the remains were burned, a fictile vessel was used to contain the ashes.

These urns are of various forms and sizes.