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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
Many years ago, in a paper read before the Asiatic Society of Bengal, attention was drawn by me to the resemblance borne by the ‘cup-marks’ found in India to the archaic sculpturings of Europe, described by the late Sir James Simpson and other writers on the subject, and certain theories were advanced regarding the possible significance of these markings.
page 518 note 1 That these markings might be proved to be an archaic form of inscription was, I believe, first suggested many years ago by Canon Greenwell, F.R.S., who also recognized in the circles possible religious symbols. Duke Algernon of Northumberland, by whom many inscribed stones were noticed in the neighbourhood of Alnwick, whilst accepting these views generally, held to the importance of the collection of further evidence, and caused a survey to be made of these markings, the results of which were printed and engraved in the magnificent folio completed after the death of the Duke, and liberally distributed by his successors to the leading Antiquarian Societies. As, unfortunately, this valuable work waa issued privately, it is not generally available, and is but little known.
M. Emile Cartailhac, who was much interested in my Indian discoveries, expressed his opinion (“La France préhistorique, d'après les Monuments,” Paris, 1889): “II est done positif que les pierres à écuelles avaient une signification pour les hommes de l'âge de la pierre et pour leurs descendants ou successeurs lmmédiats. Leur sens mystérieux était compris dans une grande partie de l'Europe. Après l'âge de bronze elles disparaissent.”
page 519 note 1 “In the highest antiquity government was carried on successfully by the use of knotted cords—to preserve the memory of things.”—Yh King, Dr. Legge's translation.
page 520 note 1 A message according to the Morse telegraphic code can readily be recorded by knots made on a string at long or short intervals.
page 523 note 1 The pawnbroker's well-known sign of three balls is taken from the Lombard shield, which carried three balls, or circles, or cup-marks.
page 525 note 1 Although the interpretation of the diagrams does not bear on the argument, the text has some interest having regard to the information contained, such, for example, as that relating to the ‘Troglodytes,’ the alien tribe, authors of the cup-marks, whilst the ‘wings,’ or appendices, explain the cypher and its development. After reading through some of the controversies and explanations regarding the riddle, one cannot but be impressed by the solution indicated by the late Professor de Lacouperie. Most commentators are mystified, and some irritated, by the hopelessness of the text or translation of the diagrams, for in the “Book of Changes” can be found no sustained sense and no continuity of record. But supposing these diagrams to be, as Professor de Lacouperie suggests, the ‘syllabaries’ of an ancient people, with whom the art of record was still in its infancy, the objection seems to disappear. They were, as I understand it, examples of the permutations that could be made and the ideas recorded with the assistance of the cypher and long and short stroke. The diagrams resembled the printed alphabets, accompanied by words and sentences, hung up in schools to teach young scholars their letters and the manner of forming words and sentences therefrom, or are like the old needlework samplers, of which collections are now to be seen as handed down from some generations ago. These show the letters as they are to be worked, and occasionally contain some information, such as “Anne is a great Queen,” “Life is short,” “Blenheim was fought in 1704.” These were useful in their way, but it would be hopeless to expect from such a collection any continuous record of the history of the day such as a hook might provide.
The arrangement of the cypher, too, supports the idea above. It commences with the form six long lines 
is followed by six pairs of short lines 
just as A would be followed by B in a sampler, or in the arrangement of letters in a dictionary. Although it is not impossible to form some words following the sequence of letters in an alphabet, a record of any value would mean the mixing up of the letters, and little sustained record would be possible if one was tied to alphabetical sequence. Thus it seems not impossible that, whilst using the diagrams as a means of instruction, as showing how the permutations could be utilized, the designer at the same time availed himself of the system to record matters of some interest, just indeed as was done in the work-samplers of our forefathers. If, on the other hand, the diagrams were a record ‘written’ in the cypher of the day, the long and short marks would be found mixed up in various permutations, just as the letters in a page of print, and would not proceed on the system of first all long strokes, then all short strokes, and so on, as indicated above.
page 527 note 1 Some glimpse of these Troglodytes will be found in Professor Terrien de Lacouperie's translation of the Yh King, suggesting that they, though a -wild people, had some knowledge; thus, “The Troglodytes which are in the wild places; many cross the river; many are sages. The Grand Teacher can understand them, etc.”
page 529 note 1 This and other quotations are taken from the translation of the Yh King by Dr. Legge.
page 530 note 1 “China ana the Chinese,” bythe late Sir J. F. Davis, Bart., K.C.B., F.R.8. (my maternal uncle).
page 530 note 2 The two marks to the left bear a resemblance to the snake often found with the circle.
page 534 note 1 I had the advantage of discussing the subject at a meeting of the Royal Academy of Spain, and the Academy subsequently did me the honour of electingme, a corresponding member in the Historical branch. Since then several cupmark inscriptions have been brought to light, and noticed in the Proceedings of the Spanish Royal Academy.
page 539 note 1 “Ancient Sculpturings on Rocks in India,” J. H. Eivett-Carnac, C.I.E., F.S.A., Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1887.