The stemmed and barbed variety is of the most common occurrence in tumuli; but, as has already been shown, one leaf-shaped form appears to be, to some extent, peculiar to a class of long barrows, though the stemmed and barbed,[1] lozenge and leaf-shaped forms have been found in the soil of the same grave mound.
In several instances, stemmed and barbed arrow-heads have been discovered with skeletons, accompanied also by the finely-chipped leaf-shaped knife-daggers of flint. In Green Low,[2] Alsop Moor, Derbyshire, the dagger-blade lay behind the shoulders, and three arrow-heads behind the back; in one, as already mentioned, on Seamer Moor, near Scarborough,[3] "two beautifully formed knives and spear-heads of flint," and four flint celts, accompanied "beautifully formed arrow-heads of flint;" and the dagger (Fig. 264) appears to have been found in the same barrow as the arrow-heads, on Lambourn Down.
Occasionally arrow-heads are found in the "drinking-cups" accompanying the skeleton, as in Mouse Low,[4] Staffordshire.
It remains for me to say a few words as to the points of difference and resemblance between the arrow-heads of Britain and those of other countries; and also as to the method of shafting in use in ancient times.[5]
In comparing the arrow-heads of Great Britain with those of what is now the sister kingdom of Ireland, we cannot but be struck, in the first place, with the far greater abundance found in Ireland, especially in its northern parts. How far this is due to their use having come down into later times, and how far to the character of the country, it is difficult to say. It is, however, evident that over so large an area of morass and bog, the number of arrows lost in the chase during a long series of years must have been immense; that when once lost they would be preserved uninjured, and remain undiscovered until the operations of draining and obtaining peat for fuel again brought them to light; and further, that the former of these operations has only been carried on to a large extent within the last few years, while the latter has also in all probability increased. On hard and stony soil, on the contrary, even assuming an originally equal abundance of arrow-heads, agricultural operations, after being carried on for a few
- ↑ "Ten Years' Dig.," p. 223. Arch. Assoc. Journ., vol. iv. p. 103.
- ↑ "Vest. Ant. Derb.," p. 59. "Cran. Brit.," vol. ii. pl. 41, p. 3.
- ↑ A. A. J., vol. iv. p. 105.
- ↑ "T. Y. D.," p. 116. A. A. J., vol. vii. p. 215.
- ↑ For a comparison of arrow-heads from different countries see also Westropp's "Prehistoric Phases," pl. i.
