98 Notes on Barrow-diggings. © = 
interments were found. The greatest thickness of this rubble at 
its junction with the compact footing was two feet six inches; 
and it was observed that all the interments were in the thickest 
part as at D; in most instances placed on the surface slope of the 
original barrow; and in no instance whatever was the slightest 
trace of bone or of pottery found in the pounded chalk. I have 
sometimes thought that many of the large Wiltshire barrows 
obtained their vast proportions by means of secondary interments - 
and it would appear as if this had been so in these three cases. 
There is no good reason to suppose that the interments on the 
south side of the barrow No. 6, were the remains of twenty slaves, 
sacrificed on the death of their lord and buried on his tomb. 
There is more reason in the supposition that these interments took 
place at various times, as the deaths of the individuals occurred, 
and that they were here interred because it was a family buriai . 
place. We have no certain knowledge of the customs of that early 
period, and there is very little foundation, if any at all, for the 
statement made by some authors that it was a custom at that time 
to slay the slaves of the deceased at his tomb, as a part of the 
funeral ceremony. If this had been so, we should have found 
traces of it in every barrow of any size. It should be borne in 
mind that the primary mounds are so large that they must have 
taken a long time to erect with the simple and imperfect appliances 
of those days. There is very little mould covering the chalk 
downs of Wiltshire in the present day, and there must have been 
less 2000 or 3000 years ago; so that the barrow builders must 
have had great difficulty, and must have laboured for a considerable 
time in amassing and heaping up such enormous mounds. On the 
supposition therefore that the custom prevailed of immolating 
dependants on the death of the chieftain, those who entertain this 
opinion should tell us what was done with the victims all the while 
that the mound was forming. 
I have thought, and I throw out the suggestion for the con- 
sideration of others, that the history of many of these large mounds 
in Wiltshire is as follows. A space of ground was first of all set 
apart for a family burial place, and enclosed with a fosse and 

