76 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



" of the soil, without such tools."* Professor Rolleston 

 suggests that the paucity of axes and hatchets indicates 

 that the Long Barrow people enjoyed the blessings of 

 peace, and in support of this view he says there is an 

 absence of evidence of cremation, reminding us also that 

 Herman, the classical commentator, held that cremation 

 was practised only or mostly out of necessity, such as 

 wars or pestilence produce.! 



Two other " finds " in the Middle Cotteswold area are 

 also noteworthy. In a long barrow at Eyford, three miles 

 from Stow-on-the-Wold, there was found a bead or amulet 

 (apparently made of Kimmeridge slate) slightly oval in 

 shape, much flattened, and with a large hole through 

 its centre. This was found lying upon the breast of a 

 skeleton of a woman, indicating that it was an ornament 

 suspended from the neck when she was buried. Canon 

 Greenwell records it as a remarkable and unique dis- 

 covery.! Four years after the learned Canon's work was 

 published, Mr Witts found in a long barrow at Notgrove 

 a bead resembling the one found at Ryford, but larger. § 



GENERAL CONCLUSION 



The general conclusion to which we are led by the 

 construction and contents of the long and round barrows, 

 and l)y megalithic and ancient metal remains of human 

 manufacture, is that in the Middle Cotteswold area, as in 

 many other parts of the kingdom, there were in the 

 Neanthropic age at least two successive races of men. 

 The earlier race were of short stature, used implements 



" British Barrows," p. 444. 

 y Trans. Bris. and Glon. Arch;<eo. Soc, Vol. i., p. 55. 

 t " British Barrows," p, 519. 

 § " Archa;o. Handbook of Gloucestershire," p. 83. 



