MODELS OF IMPLEMENTS SOMETIMES BURIED. 149 



flint scraper or a sling-stone. Again, the mound known as 

 "Cow Low" contained only a bone pin. The affectionate 

 relatives who heaped up this tumulus would certainly not 

 have sent their dead sister into the new world with nothing 

 but a bone pin, if they had thought that the things they 

 buried with her could be of any use. Even the great tumulus 

 at Arbor Low contained only a bone pin, a piece of iron 

 pyrites, a kidney-shaped instrument of flint, and two vases. 

 It would be easy to multiply illustrations, and it is, I think, 

 sufficiently evident that the articles found in the graves can- 

 not seriously be considered as affording any evidence of a 

 definite belief in a future state of existence, or as having 

 been intended for the use of the dead in the new world 

 to which they were going. Moreover, there is a well-marked 

 speciality in each case, which seems to show that the presence 

 of these rude implements, far from being the result of a 

 national belief, are simply the touching evidence of individual 

 affection. 



In some cases, however, the facts certainly seem to indicate 

 a belief that the dead could carry their wealth with them to 

 another world. For instance, Mr. Greenwell found in one 

 barrow* no less than 79 saws, 17 scrapers, 3 leaf -shaped 

 arrow-points, 2 pointed tools (probably for boring), several 

 flint articles of uncertain purpose, a hammer -stone, and a 

 piece of a greenstone axe. Many of the saws were very 

 delicately serrated, some along both edges, and showing by 

 the glaze upon the edge that they had been in use. The 

 number of saws in this case far exceeded the aggregate of 

 those obtained from all the barrows he had opened ; and 

 though, as he says, "it is by no means easy to give any 

 reasonable explanation of the phenomenon," I would venture 

 to suggest that they were regarded as wealth ; in fact as a 

 form of money, which would enable their owner to purchase 

 what he might require. 



* British Barrows, p. 262. 



