190 REPORT ON THE STAPENHILL EXPLORATIONS. 
Northamptonshire; Brosely, Salop; Upchurch, Kent; and Shepton 
Mallet, Somerset. 
The pottery made at Upchurch and Castor, which were, 
perhaps, the largest and most celebrated Roman potteries in 
Britain, was fine and hard in texture, and elegant in shape 
and pattern. Its prevailing colour was blue-black, and was 
produced by suffocating the fire of the kiln when its contents 
had acquired sufficient heat to give the proper colour. The 
clay from which these vessels were made was mixed with 
chaff or other organic matter. This blue ware loses its blue 
colour and becomes red if it is exposed to a higher tem- 
perature in an open fire. 
Bones of animals, especially those of the head as well as 
the teeth, are found in great abundance in our Pagan Saxon 
burial grounds. ‘Their presence may be accounted for by the 
existence of a practice which largely prevailed throughout 
ancient Pagandom, and which still exists in many countries, 
that is to say, the custom of offering sacrifices at the graves 
of the dead. 
The bones generally found are those which contained marrow, 
and are always broken or split open. The flesh of the bodies 
only, was eaten; the heads were placed upon poles or stakes as 
offerings to the gods. I might here draw attention to the fact 
that the sacrificial meat of the Teutonic races was not roast, but — 
boiled. 
Perhaps before concluding this paper it would not be out of 
place to say a few words on the cranial characteristics of our 
English ancestors. A careful examination of the skulls of various — 
ag it 
races reveals to us many differences as regards contour, shape, — 
and structure, and hence it is possible to classify them according — 
to their several characteristics. Perhaps the most convenient 
classification of skulls is that adopted by Dr. Thurnam and — 
Professor Huxley, and based on what is known as the “ cephalic 
index.” This term, introduced by Broca, indicates the ratio of © 
the greatest transverse to the greatest longitudinal diameter of the — 
skull, the latter measurement being taken as 100. All skulls, — 
