160 



DIFFICULTY OF DETERMINING THE PERIOD 



In such a tumulus as this, flint flakes could evidently have 

 but a symbolical meaning.* 



Evidently, therefore, the mere presence of a few implements 

 of stone is in itself no sufficient reason for referring any 

 given interment to the Stone Age. The following tabular 

 statement of 297 interments, recorded by Mr. Bateman, will, 

 however, I think, be found interesting : 



These interments are all from the counties of Derby, Stafford, 

 and York. In his work on ancient Wiltshire, Sir E. C. Hoare 

 records the examination of 267 interments, which may be 

 tabulated in a similar manner, as follows : 



We see that in this latter table nearly all the cases of 

 bronze were in interments preceded by cremation, and the 

 same is the case in the Yorkshire tumuli examined by Mr. 

 Greenwell. As regards the Salisbury Plain tumuli, I am 

 disposed to regard the great majority as belonging to the 



* Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. xiii. 



