The cairns, or carnedd, heaps of stones, are frequently mentioned in Scripture, and in every instance, when not accompanied with a pillar, we find them raised with the same object, namely, to cover the remains of those who died in crime, and whose memories it was intended to dishonour. Such were the heaps of stones raised over the remains of Achan, Absalom, and the King of Ai. Joshua vii. 25, 26—viii. 25. 2 Sam. xviii. 17 In Syria and Palestine it is still usual for one who passes such a heap to throw a stone on it, in order to express his detestation of the infamy commemorated, as well as to contribute to the maintenance or increase the size of the monument. In Scotland, too, in some parts, it was formerly, and perhaps still is common for a person to say to the offender, “Never mind, I shall throw a stone over your cairn yet.” There are numerous cairns in Wales, many of which still bear distinctive names, such as _Carn Vadryn_ and _Carn Hendwll_. Allusion to these is made in the works of the earliest bards; for instance, Taliesin observes:— Carawg will purchase Wales abounding with _canerddau_. It is said that in Druidic times the cairn was a species of monument awarded only to persons of distinction. The following passage on the subject occurs in the life of Gruffydd ab Cynan:—“Now the mountain on which the battle was fought, is called by the people of the country the _carn_ mountain, that is to say, the mountain of the _carnedd_; for in that place there is an immense _carnedd_ of stones, under which was buried a _champion_ in primitive ages of antiquity.” The cairn was of gradual growth, inasmuch as it was the custom for every passer by to fling an additional stone upon the common heap, out of reverence to the memory of the person who was interred underneath. We are told however that when the practice of burying in churchyards became general, the cairn was condemned as fit only for great criminals. Hence the expression, “_carn or dy wyneb_” (may a cairn be upon thy face), when one wishes ill to another man. In this case travellers cast their stones out of detestation. Owing, therefore, to such a change of popular feeling in regard to the cairn, it would now be impossible, from its mere outward appearance, to conjecture the character of the person whom it covers. Moreover, the size would vary, not only according to the honour or disgrace with which the deceased was in his lifetime regarded, but also according to the situation of the grave itself, whether it was near a public road or not. It may be, however, that the position of the body, or form of the _cistvaen_ (stone chest), or some other interior arrangement, would prove a clue to the solution of this question.