That both in Ireland and in Scandinavia, their erection is vulgarly ascribed to giants; an unerring mark, says Ledwich, of their Gothic origin. Sir R. C. Hoare says that the construction of stone temples and cromlechs has generally been attributed to the Druids, but without any certainty of proof. He also hazards the conjecture, and with great plausibility, that a temple like Stonehenge once existed on the Curragh of Kildare (See Tour in Ireland, p. 274.) Coeval with _Cromlechs_--perhaps--but absolutely so in the opinion of Ledwich, are the CAIRNS, Rude heaps of stones, composed partly also of earth, forming immense conical heaps, and evidently sepulchral. These are very numerous, and are generally erected on the summits of hills; but, though some of them may be Druidical, the greater part are of later date. Sir R. C. Hoare considers the Irish Cairn or Carnedd to be of the same origin as the Barrow or Tumulus in various parts of England. Under the period now treated of we may also enumerate the sculptured stones bearing OGHAM INSCRIPTIONS, which Vallancey describes as ancient Irish, or Indo-Scythian remains. These are found in many parts of the island; one of the most curious of which is at Tory-hill, Co. Kilkenny, inscribed to the God _Belus_ or BAAL. They are very numerous in Co. Kerry. These and the ancient _Irish Letters_ have given rise to more controversy than any other subject connected with Hibernian antiquities. In Miss Plumptre's _Tour_, p. 327 et seq., the curious reader will find much information, with good references to further analysis. Of the remains of the _Phœnician_ era, we may perhaps specify the ANCIENT TEMPLES, one of which, the SHIP TEMPLE near Dundalk, is attributed by Vallancey to that people, or else to the sea rovers, _Victi_, or _Picts_, who paid divine honours to the form of a ship; but Governor Pownal supposed it to be the work of the NANI, a northern or Scandinavian nation. That the Phœnicians or Carthaginians must have visited Ireland, is supported by Miss Plumptre upon the ground that amongst the relics of antiquity in possession of the Dublin Society are several heads of axes which were dug up in the south, corresponding exactly with some that have been found in the plain of Cannæ and in Egypt, and which are considered as Carthaginian. This, she adds, seems strongly to corroborate the idea that the Carthaginians, the most adventurous navigators of ancient days, actually traded to Ireland. Cotemporary with these are many of the CAVES, evidently artificial, which served as habitations to the rude colonists. Many of these remain, in the north, on the sides of hills almost inaccessible, and are vulgarly called "Picts Caves" at the present day. Neat in chronological order to those are the ROUND TOWERS,