Stone slab with a hole in it

Saw this while we were at Fushimi Inari Shrine:

http://i40.tinypic.com/2ag9n5v.jpg

What is this? What is the symbolism? And can anyone translate what it says?

Thanks!

~Elana

It's a stone lantern
to welcome/say goodbye for gods, ghosts and so on,
on the festive.

And written by the old characters.
Σ(ken) means present.
“•/“”(tou) means light/lamp.

Thank you very much for your reply :)

I'm not sure how they'd light this sort of lantern? Do they just place a candle votive in the circle or what?

Also, if you zoom in on the bottom of the picture, there is actually more writing there. It's not very clear so I am not sure I would be able to read it even if it were in English, but can anyone make it out?

Thanks again!

I guess the candle in the circle sounds right :)

At the bottom, on the right side I can see a name (written vertically) Seibei Inoue@ˆδγ΄•Ί‰q.
I can not read any of the other writings to the left, but either more names, or description of on what occasion this donation was made.

Thanks for your reply. I wonder if that's a rare style of lantern since I don't recall seeing it elsewhere.

I agree with AK.

They place a candle in the circle,
and cover the light with Japanese paper.
Maybe we can see that on the Summer Festive.

And thank you for your notice.
I didn't think this is unique, before your pointing.
Surely, this is not ordinary style of stone lantern.