Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1886 V23 Pages 117-118. 12 Aug 1886. This was followed by a paper on "Ringsbury Camp"' by the Rev. W. H. E. Mc. Knight, which, in the absence of that gentleman, was very kindly read by Mr. James Sadler, of Purton; and then Mr. William Cunnington, F.G.S., exhibited and commented on several specimens of skulls of the dolichocephalic form, which had been taken from the famous long barrow known as "Bowlsbury Tump [Map]," near Heytesbury, opened by himself and Mr. Henry Cunnington, Hon. Curator of the Society, under the auspices of this Society, in June last. The skulls found are of much interest, all of them being of the long (dolichocephalic) shape. They confirm the views of our late fellow-Member, Dr. Thurnham, who first discovered the fact that the people who erected the long barrows possessed longer skulls than those of the people of the round barrows, who succeeded them, and longer than those of any of the modem races of Europeans. They are apparently the most ancient inhabi- tants of this island of whom any record exists. No implements of metal of any kind have been found in their interments, and their pottery is of the rudest kind, without any ornaments. The only traces of art found in Bowls Barrow are flint flakes, struck off in making implements, and an oval quartzite pebble, which has been used at both ends as a hammer. The skulls, or fragments of skulls, of at least fourteen individuals were found on the late occasion: more than half of these had been cleft or fractured, apparently at the time of death. Several of them were shown at the Meeting; also specimens illustrating the differences between the long skulls of the long barrow type, and the shorter skulls o£ the round barrow period. As all these papers will appear in the Magazine, they need not be further mentioned here: needless, too, to say that their authors were severally thanked from the chair, and that the approbation of the audience was made very manifest. Before leaving the room, the President expressed, on behalf of the Society, their gratitude to the inhabitants of Swindon generally for the kind, courteous, and hospitable way in which they had been received; to the Secretaries of the Meeting more especially (Mr. Kinneir, Mr. Shopland, and Mr. Radway), for all the trouble taken by those gentlemen on their behalf, and which had resulted in a very successful Meeting; and last, but not least, to Major Dean, for the facilities he had granted to such of the Members as were wise enough to avail themselves of them, for seeing the celebrated Locomotive and Carriage Works of the G. W. R. Company.

Archaeologia Volume 15 Section XXXIII. The next barrow [Boyton Barrow 1 [Map]] opened, was the large circular one standing on the edge of Boyton Downs, and about 70 yards north of the great long barrow [Boyton Down Long Barrow [Map]] [d] on Sherrington manor, the boundary line running near the latter barrow.

This circular tumulus is 76 feet in the base diameter, and elevated 14 feet above the plain; being situated on high ground, it commands extensive views to the north and east. See Plate XVI. fig. 3. To open this barrow, we made a large section from north to south: in the first stratum, about two feet thick, composed chiefly of vegetable earth, we discovered nine skeletons lying in different directions. [e] Some years ago, your grandfather ordered some trees to be planted on this barrow, when the men employed in this work discovered four skeletons, which were afterwards interred in Boyton church-yard; therefore the whole number of bodies discovered on the top of this tumulus were thirteen. After we had worked through this stratum of vegetable mould, we came to another of small loose flints, similar to what are now picked off the arable land in this neighbourhood, for mending the roads; the latter was more than four feet thick. We next came to a stratum of black vegetable earth, which continued till we came to the bottom, at the depth of eight feet more, (viz. fourteen feet from the surface): here, and nearly in the centre of the barrow, in a shallow ciff, in the original soil, lay the burnt bones of the Briton for whom the tumulus was erected: they were piled in a small heap, but without any arms, urn, or trinkets. It is rather extraordinary, that notwithstanding the long space of time these bones must have lain in the damp earth, yet they were to all appearance as white, and handled as dry, as though recently interred, [f].

Note d. Plate XVI. Fig. 2.

Note e. Part of these skeletons lay with their heads to the north, and others to the south, but apparently in no regular order.

Note f. I do not mention this circumstance as peculiar to this barrow, as it is very frequent.

Archaeologia Volume 15 Section XXXIII. The third, a circular tumulus [Boyton Barrow 2 [Map]], see Plate XVI fig. I. in Boyton manor, is situated on a neck of land, projecting from the great ridge wood, to Stockton sheep pond, having Dean Valley on the right. This barrow is 40 feet in diameter, and 3 feet nine inches in elevation; at the depth of four feet in the native chalk, (7 feet 9 inches from the top of the barrow,) we found the skeleton of a young person [h] lying with the head nearly east, this circumstance is unusual in what I have supposed primary interments, viz. where skeletons are interred at a great depth in a barrow; in such cases the head generally lies to the north, or nearly so. [i] The bones were in very good prefervation, and the teeth, (a most beautiful set,) were perfectly white. Near the feet of this skeleton, lay the fragments of a very handsome drinking cup; [k] about a foot from this, we found another very small cup, both of which I have since repaired by a cement, which has enabled Mr. Crocker to make good drawings of both.

The large cup, [l] or vase, holds nearly two quarts: it is of a brick colour, and on first sight might be mistaken for the Roman Samian pottery, but, on a nearer view, you perceive (notwithstanding the neat appearance,) that it is very imperfectly burnt, and that the ornaments are done by the hand, without a lathe; it stands 9 inches high, and measures 6 inches over the brim, see Plate XVII. Fig. 1. The small black cup is, in size and form, like some modern cream pots; it is 3¼ inches high; see Fig. 2.

Note h. I suppose from 20 to thirty years of age.

Note i. On top of barrows, we find the fkeletons in every direction.

Note k. The wide brim and large size rather militate against appropriating those vessels to this purpose.

Note l. This is the largest drinking cup I ever saw.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1866 V10 Pages 85-103. No. 4 [Map], was examined in 1855, and a trench was dug on the east side towards the centre. At a depth of seven feet, and in the centre of the mound, in a cist dug out of the chalk, was a skeleton on its right side, with the legs drawn up, lying N.W. and S.E., the head. being in the direction of the former point. The individual must have been about 5 feet 10 inches in height, as ascertained from the length of the skeleton as it lay. The bones were in excellent preservation, and although they were carefully uncovered, no right arm, and no hands were found. There was no jar or relic of any kind, but only a small fragment of coarse pottery, rudely marked, near the head. When the body was interred, it appears te have been walled about and covered over with large flints, and then the vegetable mould was heaped up, and constituted the original gravemound with a diameter of about 70 feet. At subsequent periods other interments followed, producing an enlargement of the barrow; the present diameter being about 96 feet. It was not until the year 1861 that a further examination of this mound was made by the Rector of North Tidworth and myself. The experience we had derived in the examination of other barrows having led to discoveries of an interesting nature, we resolved to apply the process to this barrow. It may be as well to state here the mode which was adopted by us. We first dug a wide trench from the south point to the centre, and in some cases beyond the centre, and next we carried trenches east and west from the south side, at a few feet from the base of the mound. The advantages gained by this method were these. It gave us a section of the barrow, a matter of considerable importance; it enabled us to meet with the original interment, when, as in many cases, it was eccentric; and it brought to light a series of interments in positions where they have not been commonly observed in Wilts. In addition to this, it revealed a certain degree of orientation in these secondary interments, in relation to the primary one, which was quite constant. After digging for a distance of about 13 feet from a point a little to the west of south in a direction eastwards, at a few feet from the base of the mound, meeting occasionally with fragments of pottery and a portion of a grinding trough, we found an interment of burnt bones at the spot marked 1. At 2, we came to a large urn inverted, (plate iii. fig. 1) containing the burnt bones of a large man.¹ The urn was placed on a mass of pounded chalk, and a dry walling of large flints was built round it to serve as a protection. The bottom of this vessel was about one foot below the surface. Not far from it, at 5, was a considerable quantity of burnt bones. At 7, was an urn smaller than that at 2, also containing burnt bones, on its side, with the mouth pointing up the mound, within three inches of the surface, and surrounded with flints, as in the other case. At 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, were discovered separate interments, in each case the burnt bones being contained within a circle of flints. Two flint mullers or rubbers were found in this barrow.

Note 1. The ornamentation on this urn consists of a projecting band of clay, in which circular depressions have been made with the top of the finger; the cast of the nail is seen in some of them. Similar markings have lately been observed on some other Wiltshire urns. [Eds. ]

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1866 V10 Pages 85-103. Barrow No. 5 [Map]. Although our experience would have directed us to operate upon the south side, we were induced to commence our first trench from the base at the east point. The first interment was met with at a distance of 13 feet from the base, and at a depth of 18 inches from the surface, and consisted of a heap of calcined human bones, without any pottery or implements of any kind. The bones had been placed on the slope of the original barrow, and chalk thrown over them whereby the mound had become enlarged. As we penetrated the mould of the original barrow we met with fragments of vessels, most of them being apparently portions of richly ornamented drinking cups, animal bones and teeth. At about 10 feet from the centre there was a stratum 4 inches thick, of dark mould, overlying the original surface chalk, in which were innumerable fragments of ornamented urns, charred animal bones, and flint chippings. This stratum extended over an area of about 20 feet diameter. Allusion is made to discoveries of a similar kind in Mr. Bateman’s "Ten years diggings," and an extract is there given from a communication by the President of the Antiquarian Society of Zurich to Sir H. Ellis: "in almost all the accounts of the opening of Pagan sepulchres and Tumuli, mention is made of the discovery of fragments of pottery strewn in the soil, which appear to be portions of vessels similar to such as are often found by the side of the human remains interred in these tombs, and consist of earthenware, not baked in a kiln but imperfectly hardened by a fire. These potsherds are found in sepulchres where there are no urns, and are almost always fragments of different vessels. Archaeologists have considered them to be the relics of the Lyke-wake held at the funeral. Kleeman observes that it was customary to bring the corpse to the place of interment clad in festive garments, and show it to the friends; a banquet then commenced and a share was offered to the deceased." The vessels used on these occasions are then supposed to have been destroyed, for some symbolical reason. and the fragments strewn about.

Wessex from the Air Plate 30. The oval barrow [Map] was discovered by me. Before I saw it from the air, I regarded it as a short long barrow. Its length is 110 ft.; its breadth 80 ft.; and its height 5 ft. 4 in. From the air, however, as this plate shows, it is plainly revealed as not a long barrow. It has interesting features, however; it is made of dug chalk, not scraped soil; and it is probable from the size and irregularity of the black belt marking the ditch, that the material of the mound was entirely derived from the surrounding ditch. That is an unusual feature in round barrows. Normally, the mound was piled first and the ditch dug afterwards; and it was generally far too small to have provided all the material for the mound." In the case of long barrows, as is well seen here, the material of the mound was always entirely derived from the side-ditches; and one would imagine that round or oval barrows constructed in the same way would, therefore, be earlier than the others; the encircling ditch being retained by custom after its original utilitarian purpose was forgotten. Unfortunately, the data for testing this a priori reasoning are not adequate. But one of the barrows on Handley Down excavated by General Pitt-Rivers may be described here, since in method of construction it seems to have resembled the oval barrow here— so far as we can infer from the air-photograph.

The barrow (no. 27) is described in vol. iv of the General's Excavations, pp. 136—8. It lay on Handley Down, Dorset, 104 yds. to the north of Wor Barrow, the celebrated long barrow that he excavated completely. ' It was found that beneath the mound a very irregular ditch had been dug, varying in depth from 2 ft. to 4½ ft. in different places, and of irregular width and outline, conforming only more or less to the fine of the bottom of the barrow, and having cavities and separate pits, evidently dug for the same purpose of obtaining chalk and earth for the barrow; but with no intention of forming a symmetrical ditch round it.' This irregularity resembles that of the side-ditches of Wor Barrow, which were fully cleared out. Evidence of early date was found in the character of the potsherds from the ditch and interior of the mound; all the potsherds (five in number) from the interior, found together at a depth of 1 ft. were of the General's 'No. 1 British' quality: and of those found in the ditch — 54 in were 'No. 1 British', one was 'beaker', and one of later date. It is safe to conclude that the barrow was not later than the period of the bulk of the potsherds, that is to say, than the neolithic period, or possibly, the Early Bronze Age. (No primary interment or cist seems to have been found.)

It is much to be desired that the oval barrow here portrayed should be excavated, under expert supervision, to determine the age of this type of mound.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1913 V38 Pages 379-414. Norton Bavant. 13. [Norton Down Long Barrow aka Norton Bavant 13 [Map]] On Norton Down. Length 180ft.: E. and W. Opened by Thurnam, and the following note is from his MS. Cat.: "The barrow chiefly of chalk rubble appears to have contained no secondary interments, which were extensively searched for. There was no stratum of black earth, but under the eastern apex, on the floor of the barrow, was a confused mass of skeletons spread over a space about 8ft. long and 3ft. broad. Above these the flints were larger and more numerous, and mixed with an occasional small block of sarsen stone and of the ' Warminster burr ' of the upper greensand. The portions of skulls indicated at least 18 skeletons, though whether they had been buried here entire seemed doubtful from the small number of the long bones. Of the 18 I computed 8 of males, 5 of females, and 5 children. So far as can be made out, all were decidedly dolichocephalic, and 9 of the more perfect calvaria which have been preserved (at Cambridge) have a cephalic index varying from '63 to '73, and averaging '68. The only other relics found with these human remains consisted of a round battered nodule of flint weighing 3f lbs., the greater part of a curious rude shallow vase of black pottery with two handles. The paste is mixed with particles of small fossil oyster shells from the tertiary clay beds, it is thought of Hampshire. There was also one large horn of red deer with the human remains. The broken vase was in their midst, and had probably been deposited entire, though no part of the base was found. The flint nodule lay close to one of the skulls, nearly all of which present traces of having been broken, some of them perhaps with this very nodule. One skeleton lay rather apart from the others to the north, and the skull of this is the most perfect of the series, and remarkable as presenting no trace of having been cleft. The lower jaw is nearly perfect, the upper too much decayed to be restored. Excavated June 8th, 1866." This fine barrow stands on uncultivated down land; the ditches are very well defined, and contrary to the usual rule are slightly longer at both ends than the mound itself. The mound shows in several places where it has been dug into. O.M. 52 NW.; A. W. I. 67; Arch. xlii. 180, 182, 184, 194—5; Bull, de la Soc. d' Anthrop. 2 S. ii. 357, 677, fig.; Mem. Anthrop. Soc. iii. 71; MS. Gat. 245—253. This is the barrow referred to by Thurnam as "Norton Bavant.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1856 V3 Pages 185-188. As the progress of modern agriculture is rapidly sweeping away from our downs the barrows and other similar relics of the ancient inhabitants of the district, it becomes increasingly important that a faithful and minute account of all the discoveries made, should be permanently recorded. Happily our "Wiltshire Magazine" affords opportunities for the publication of such records.

The barrow [Roundway Hill Barrow 2 [Map]] in question is situated near the brow of the hill, on the right hand side of the track leading to Calstone, and is about midway between the "Leipsic" plantation, and the large chalk quarry. It is on land in the occupation of Richard Coward, Esq., by whose kind permission and assistance it was opened. The elevation is very slight, not exceeding six inches, and the area ill defined, but extending over a space of about eighteen yards in diameter. This was all the external indication afforded of the interesting interment beneath; and it is by no means surprising that it had hitherto escaped the notice of antiquaries. It is probable that at some former period the original mound was levelled.

The excavation was commenced as near as possible to the centre, and on removing the turf, abundant evidence of the artificial condition of the subsoil was obtained. There were traces of the ashes of wood, and the peculiar mouldiness which is so often found in barrows. At from two to four feet a considerable quantity of ashes occurred, mixed with the bones of birds and other small animals, numerous shells of Helix nemoralis¹, a fragment of burned bone, a few bits of rude British pottery, and a flint flake. After the hole had been dug to the depth of five feet, traces of vegetable mould and ashes ceased, and the chalk was in such a pure condition, as at first to lead to the supposition that the bottom of the barrow had been reached. A few inches further, however, at about five and a half feet, a skeleton was found in a flexed position, with its head towards the north, and lying on its left side. The left arm was bent up, so that the hand was close to the face, the other arm and hand were placed across the body, and the knees bent upwards. The skeleton was deposited in an oblong oval cist of about five feet long, and two and a half feet wide, very smoothly hollowed out of the chalk. The depth of the barrow was somewhat remarkable; from the surface of the turf to the bottom of the cist being rather more than six feet. At the distance of a few inches from the skull was a small flint arrow-head. An urn six inches in height was standing upright at the feet. This, although highly ornamented, must have been fashioned by hand previous to the introduction of the lathe. It contained nothing but loose chalk.

Note 1. Query. Were these snails used for food? Although this species occurs abundantly among the brush-wood on the side of the hill, they are never found on the open down, and they must consequently have been brought to this spot.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1859 V6 Pages 159-167. Barrow No. 3 [Roundway Hill Barrow 3 [Map]] is situated close to, and on the south side of the large chalkpit. It is thus described by the late Mr. Cunnington, by whom it was explored in 1805. "It is circular in its form, and about two feet and a half in elevation. At the depth of four feet and a half, we found a skeleton lying from west to east, and with it an iron ring, and thirty bits of ivory, in form and size like childrens' marbles cut in two: these articles were intermixed with a large quantity of decayed wood, which was probably once attached to the ivory."¹

In 1855 this barrow was again opened, and an antler of a deer, and a medal, with the inscription, "Opened by Wm. Cunnington 1805," was found. The skeleton was disinterred, and the cranium and some of the bones having been examined by Dr. Thurnam, he has favoured me with the following notes on the subject.

" The skull is that of a man of middle age, probably about fifty years. Nearly all the teeth are in place, and in good condition, except that their crowns are considerably worn down. The nasal bones in this skull do not present the abrupt projection so distinctive in that from barrow No. 2. The face is large and broad, owing to the prominence of the cheek bones. The upper and lower jaw are deep and large, and strongly marked for muscular attachments.

The frontal sinuses are full and prominent; the forehead is narrow and somewhat flat and receding. Viewed from above the skull is seen to have a much more lengthened oval form than that from barrow No. 2. (Wilts Mag. vol. iii. p. 186). The thickest parts of the parietals measure a third, those of the frontal bones half an inch. Immediately behind the coronal suture is a depression which extends across the parietal bones, and seems to indicate that this part of the skull was subject to some habitual pressure or constriction; from the use perhaps of some form of bandage or ligature. This may possibly explain the fact of the sutures of the cranium being more obliterated than is usual in persons of middle age. The capacity of the skull is large, and such as indicates a brain weighing about 56 oz. The characteristics of this skull, though Ancient British or Celtic, are less strongly marked than those of the skull No. 2, which may perhaps point to a more modern period, though unfortunately the archaeological evidence as to this is wanting. The much lighter and more decayed condition of the bones is very apparent, and agrees with the fact of the body having been interred in a superficial cist, and covered by a barrow of slight elevation."

When Dr. Thurnam made the above remark, as to the insufficiency of the archaeological evidence in this case, it was impossible to identify this barrow as the one in which the iron ring and pieces of ivory were found. Our recent researches however leave no doubt on the subject, and thus corroborate the opinion of Dr. Thurnam, that it is of a more modern period than the barrrow No. 2, to which he refers. It dates probably much nearer to the Roman period.

Note 1. Hoare's Ancient Wiltshire, vol. ii. p. 98.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1859 V6 Pages 159-167. Barrow No. 6 [Roundway Hill Barrow 6 [Map]]. This is the long shaped barrow near Mr. Coward's farm buildings, on the further side of the hill. It is an irregular oval, with an indistinct hour-glass contraction in the middle. It was as first supposed to be a "long barrow," properly so called, but subsequent investigations have proved that it is formed by the filling in of the space between two adjoining round barrows. It is surrounded by a fosse about eighteen inches deep. The length is one hundred and thirty-four feet; the greatest width is ninety-five feet. The general direction of the barrow is about east and west. Its greatest height above the surface of the chalk is seven feet, in the depression in the middle the height is five feet.

A longitudinal trench was commenced from end to end of the tumulus, and numerous fragments of pottery, bones of sheep, ox, &c. were found, also a small iron spike. Near the highest point of the barrow, and about eighteen inches below the turf a skeleton was discovered, but without any weapon or other relics. This is certainly a secondary interment. It had been previously disturbed, as the bones were broken and lying in much disorder, and the cranium had been altogether removed. Some fragments of the lower jaw with teeth, prove it to have been an adult.

At forty-five feet from the eastern end of the barrow is a large oblong cist, ranging from west south-west to east-north east. It is five feet eight inches in length, by two feet five inches wide, and two feet deep, having a long ledge or step along the northern side. Large as is this cist, it contained only a small heap of incinerated bones, and piled up close by, the following articles: — two neatly grooved whetstones of coarse silicious sandstone, and a large whet-stone of the same material; a flat piece of sandstone, which has evidently been used as a whetstone; a well made flint arrow head; a small flint knife; sundry flint flakes; a small bronze spear head, having decayed wood adhering to it, probably the remains of the sheath; a long instrument, like a netting needle, formed of deer's horn, and pointed at one end; a portion of deer's horn, cut flat at both ends, as if to form the handle of some instrument or weapon; three oblong pieces of bone, neatly smoothed, one of them bevelled off at the ends, and a quartz pebble. This pebble was not obtained in the immediate neighbourhood, and the whetstones are of a material not found in this county. In the earth, with which the cist was filled up, were numerous flint flakes, and some fragments of pottery. The incinerated bones are those of an adult, beyond this fact nothing can be ascertained as to the characteristics of the individual.

The western end of this barrow was not examined till August 1858, on which occasion the Rector of Devizes was present. The former interment having been found at a distance of forty-five feet from the eastern end of the barrow, we marked off the same distance from the western end, and commenced by digging a shaft. Immediately below the turf, evidences of human occupation of the spol were abundant; fragments of pottery, flint flakes, and bones of ox, sheep, dog, and other domestic animals were dispersed throughout the soil. At the depth of two feet a small irregular layer of wood ashes, and some fragments of burnt bone were found. It appeared as if these were the ashes of the fire used for consuming the body interred below, having been thrown up on the mound after the interment. At five feet we reached the original soil; on which was a thin sprinkling of chalk. This being followed, on one side it was found to increase in thickness, till at last it led to the cist. On digging downwards, the chalk rubble suddenly gave way beneath the feet, disclosing a hollow cavity, as the men said, like an oven. The chalk that had fallen into it was cleared away, and we shortly arrived at the interment, which consisted of incinerated bones, mixed with wood ashes, heaped up in the centre, but covered with a layer of decayed wood, which extended to a length of two and a half feet, and to a breadth of twelve or fourteen inches. Beneath the bones was another layer of wood of the same extent, but in a less decomposed condition, evidently the remains of a board. As there was a considerable thickness of this substance at the sides, we came to the conclusion that the burnt bones had been enclosed in a rude chest or coffin, the decay of which had caused the chalk to fall in, and thus produced the cavity mentioned above. Under the bones was a small bronze spear, or more probably dagger head, with three bronze rivets. The wooden handle of it, apparently about a foot in length, crumbled to dust when touched. The cist, contrary to that at the other end of the barrow, was north and south. It was oblong, the south end square, the north irregularly rounded; length five feet four inches, breadth three feet, depth three feet six inches. Total depth from the surface to the bottom of the cist eight feet nine inches. The bones in this, as in the other instance, were those of an adult. Both the cists were filled up with chalk, not with earth.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1859 V6 Pages 159-167. No. 7. [Roundway Hill Barrow 7 [Map]] This interesting barrow was opened by the desire of the late E. F. Colston, Esq. in 1840. An account of the investigation was sent to the Devizes Gazette by the late Mr. Stoughton Money, and a description of some of the articles found in it, accompanied with an engraving, was published by J. Yonge Akerman (age 52), Esq., Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, in his "Remains of Pagan Saxondom," plate i. From these sources we obtain the following particulars. "The barrow in question is a small one on the apex of Roundway down, which though particularly mentioned by Sir R. Colt Hoare, somehow or other escaped examination by that indefatigable antiquary. On digging into it, at the depth of seven feet the workmen reached the natural chalk level, and came to a skeleton very much decayed, which had formerly been enclosed in a wooden cist bound round and clamped together with strong iron plates or hoops. Several portions of this iron work, though in a very corroded state, had fibres of the wood still adhering to them, and remained precisely as originally placed. The skeleton lay east and west, the head towards the latter point. At the feet was one of those vessels which are sometimes discovered in the graves of this period, in the shape of a pail, hooped with brass, and ornamented with about twenty triangular pieces of the same metal. Near the neck of the skeleton were found some elegant ornaments, consisting of garnets and vitrified pastes strongly set in gold.

" There were also two gold pins with garnets set in the head, and connected by a chain of the same metal, suspended to the centre of which, is a small medallion bearing a cruciform pattern. This, and a triangular plate. of a paste-like composition, set in gold, led Mr. Money to the conclusion that the grave was that of a Christian Romanized Briton, who existed in one of the four first centuries after Christ." Mr. Akerman however expresses a doubt on this subject, which wo are quite inclined to support, and says that it is by no means certain, that the body was that of a Christianized Anglo-Saxon Lady, " for though the ornament in the centre of the chain represents a cross, we cannot receive it as a conclusive evi-. denee of the faith of the wearer. The same remark applies to the triangular shaped pendant. That this form of necklace was popular in the sixth century wo may infer from the circumstance of its occurring on the neck of a bust of Roma, which appears on the coins of the Gothic monarchs, struck in Italy about this time." An engraving of one of these coins is included in Mr. Akerman'a plate.

Mrs. Colston having kindly allowed me o further examination of the fragments of the vessel mentioned above, I have been enabled to ascertain its original size. It was about nine inches in height, and five and a half inches diameter. The wood of which it was formed was thin, apparently less than a quarter of an inch in thickness. Microscopic examination proves it not to have been coniferous wood. There were two hoops only, one of them is entire; they are formed of thin brass, over-lapping at the ends, and the joints were made with soft solder. The ornaments consist of rows of dots, produced by punching on the inside of the hoops. The broader hoop was fastened to the wood with iron rivets, the heads of which were plated with brass. The triangular plates are also of brass, they were secured to the pail by an iron rivet through the point of each, the broad ends being inserted under the hoop. Thev are decorated with rows of dots, similar to those on the hoops.