32 



with the exception of a slight depression on the east side, 

 any signs of disturbance, though gravel has been dug for 

 many years in the neighbouring field. The black alluvial 

 soil overlies the gravel from a foot to a foot and a half in 

 depth; then a substratum of gravel, varying from two to 

 three feet, lies above a bed of coarse sand. The bodies in 

 question were found in the ground about two feet and a half 

 below the level of the sod. 



The remains found are various, and such as are usually 

 found in Anglo-Saxon graves. The indications, from the 

 remains at present exhumed, seems to show that it was a 

 place of regular interment, for though some of the bodies 

 were laid east and west, with their heads eastward, others 

 were not so. The bosses or un^bos of the shields do not 

 appear to have been laid on the breast as was usually the 

 case, though it was evident that greater care had been taken 

 with some of the bodies than with others. Many of the 

 skeletons were found indiscriminately upon the others — a 

 circumstance which in other cases has given rise to the 

 supposition that these were either prisoners taken in battle, 

 or slaves sacrificed as a propitiation to the gods. 



With respect to the bodies themselves. One of the most 

 perfect of the skeletons was that of a powerful young man, 

 who was upwards of six feet high, and about 23 or 24 years 

 of age. His teeth were perfect. His chin was somewhat 

 more pointed than usual. This pointed chin marked all the 

 lower jaws I had the opportunity of examining, for many 

 of the skeletons fell into dust or were broken by the work- 

 men in removing them. The remains found with the bodies 

 consist of umbos, or the heavy iron bosses of shields, spear 

 heada, javelins, many knives, fibulae, a bead or two, a straight 



