itself as the first mark of distinction to the honoured dead. To this simplest construction the term barrow should be exclusively reserved, while the tumulus is distinguished by its circular form. Sir R. C. Hoare has distinguished fourteen different kinds of barrows in his "Ancient Wiltshire."[1]
If these two mounds were examined they would probably be found to consist internally chiefly of an artificial structure of stone—a cairn, in fact, covered over with earth. On reaching the centre a cromlech or a kistvaen, i. e. a coffin formed of separate slabs of stone, might be found with its usual sepulchral contents, and most probably accompanied with relics of importance corresponding with the magnitude of the superincumbent earth-pyramid.
The earliest tumuli, i. e., the tumuli of the "stone period," generally contain hammers of stone, hatchets, chisels, knives, fish-hooks, horses' teeth, and bones of dogs, stags, elks, and wild boars; spear and arrow heads of flint or bone; personal ornaments made of amber, pierced shells, stones, beads made of horn or bone, such as are now found among the Tahitians, the New Zealanders, the Red Indians of America, and the modern Esquimaux. The long barrow, formed like a gigantic grave, appears from its most common contents to be the sepulchral memorial belonging to this era. It is destitute of weapons belonging to the bronze period.
The tumuli of the "bronze period," besides the above contents, often contain a sort of semicircular knife, resembling a sickle; double-edged swords, daggers, shields; diadems, hair-pins, combs, armlets, brooches; small vases of gold, silver goblets; small figures of birds; scissors, in their form like those of the present day; rings or circlets of various dimensions and designs, some having evidently served to encircle the waist or the head, others the neck, the arm and the finger; and various other articles exhibiting considerable skill in the manufacture, and a peculiar taste in ornamental designs, serving to distinguish them from those of a succeeding age.
Whenever a sepulchral urn is found, it must be regarded as in itself a proof of some degree of progress. The earliest of these however are of the rudest possible description. They are fashioned with the hand, of coarse clay, by workmen
- ↑ Introduction to vol. i. page 20.
