es to their Hermai, and perhaps the Gauls,
if they did not already regard them as symbols of a god, acquiesced in
the resemblance. Thus, on the menhir of Kervadel are sculptured four
figures, one being that of Mercury, dating from Gallo-Roman times.
Beneath another, near Peronne, a bronze statuette of Mercury was
discovered.[970] This would seem to show that the Gauls had a cult of
pillar stones associated with a god of boundaries. Caesar probably uses
the word _simulacrum_ in the sense of "symbol" rather than "image,"
though he may have meant native images not fully carved in human shape,
like the Irish _cermand_, _cerstach_, ornamented with gold and silver,
the "chief idol" of north Ireland, or like the similarly ornamented
"images" of Cromm Cruaich and his satellites.[971] The adoration of
sacred stones continued into Christian times and was much opposed by the
Church.[972] S. Samson of Dol (sixth century) found men dancing round a
_simulacrum abominabile_, which seems to have been a kind of standing
stone, and having besought them to desist, he carved a cross upon
it.[973] Several _menhirion_ in France are now similarly
ornamented.[974]

The number of existing Gallo-Roman images shows that the Celts had not
adopted a custom which was foreign to them, and they must have already
possessed rude native images. The disappearance of these would be
explained if they were made of perishable material. Wooden images of the
_Matres_ have been occasionally found, and these may be pre-Roman. Some
of the images of the three-headed and crouching gods show no sign of
Roman influences in their modelling, and they may have been copied from
earlier images of wood. We also find divine figures on pre-Roman
coins.[975] Certain passages in classical writings point to the
existence of native images. A statue of a goddess existed in a temple at
Marseilles, according to Justin, and the Galatian Celts had images of
the native Juppiter and Artemis, while the conquering Celts who entered
Rome bowed to the seated senators as to statues of the gods.[976] The
Gauls placed rich ornaments on the images of the gods, and presumably
these were native "idols."

"Idols" are frequently mentioned in Irish texts, and there is no doubt
that these mean images.[977] Cormac mac Art refused to worship "idols,"
and was punished by the Druids.[978] The idols of Cromm Cruaich and his
satellites, referred to in the _Dindsenchas_, were carved to represent
the human