212 HULL SCIENTIFIC AND FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB. 



and we have the Iron Age. The case contains some of 

 the earliest examples of iron implements and utensils 

 hitherto found in this district. 



Thus in this one case is an epitome of the history of the 

 early inhabitants of the British Islands, and in examining 

 it from end to end it is possible to get a far better and clearer 

 idea of the evolution of the early implements and ornaments 

 than can be obtained by any amount of time spent in reading 

 up the subject in books. 



But the case has other points of interest. Nearly every 

 specimen contained within it has been found in the district, 

 and " local " is the main feature of the Hull Museum 

 collections. The days of attempting to form miniature 

 British Museums, with a little of everything and nothing in 

 particular, are over, and the object of our provincial museums 

 should be to illustrate the history, geology, natural history, 

 antiquities, &c, of the districts in which they are situated. 

 But many other lessons can be learned by a perusal of the 

 specimens in this case. Here is the skull of a Bronze-Age 

 Briton. Note the perfect condition of the teeth, their regu- 

 larity and absolute freedom from any trace of decay ; the 

 Ancient Britons used their teeth, and did not live on sops and 

 sweetmeats. Close by is a photograph of an elaborately 

 carved bone pin, and a bronze dagger, the handle of which 

 has decayed, although the rivets for its attachment are 

 preserved. These were found with a skeleton at Brough, and 

 show that the Britons had some idea of a future life, as 

 when they were buried the various objects likely to be of use 

 to them in their new hunting grounds were buried with them. 

 A little further in the same case are examples of the early 

 cinerary urns containing cremated human remains. The 

 Corporation has recently erected a crematorium in Hull, of 

 which Hull people are justly proud, but the novelty is gone 

 when it is remembered that cremation was in vogue in East 

 Yorkshire at least 2000 years ago. 



Many other lessons might be learned from a perusal of 

 the specimens in this one case, but full information is set 

 out in type-written labels, so that those who care may be 

 instructed. Similarly, the Roman, mediaeval, and other cases 

 in the collection are arranged and classified, and are teeming 

 with information of an instructive and educational character. 

 Any one of these contains sufficient material for an afternoon's 

 study, rendering a perusal of the contents of the Museum at 

 a single visit absolutely impossible. 



