260 



calculated to throw light upon the still unsettled question of 

 the date of this mode of interment, as well as " the authors 

 of these sepulchral memorials," Mr. Smith was induced to 

 undertake it, and accordingly proceeded to the spot for that 

 purpose on the 30th of November last. 



The rath appears to have occupied the declivity of a 

 hill, sloping gently to the west, and was originally enclosed 

 by a breastwork of earth, of inconsiderable elevation, all 

 trace of which had nearly disappeared, but which, according 

 to report, may have once enclosed a space of five or six 

 acres. The soil upon the surface having been found to con- 

 sist of rich clay, had been from time to time spread over the 

 poorer land adjoining. It was not, however, till the process 

 of levelhng was begun that urns were discovered ; they were 

 then found at a depth of from four to five feet beneath the 

 original surface, resting upon the till, or gravelly subsoil. 



Mr. Smith proceeded to a part of the hill pointed out to 

 him as not having been yet disturbed, and, with the assistance 

 of a few labourers, very soon had the satisfaction of laying 

 bare four or five, or more urns. They were placed appa- 

 rently without any regularity, about two or three feet asun- 

 der, and having been imbedded in yellow clay, without any 

 flags or other stones to protect them, had in most cases been 

 pressed in, and broken to pieces, by the superincumbent 

 earth. One, however, which remained whole, Mr. Smith, 

 by the utmost care in freeing it from the moist clay which 

 surrounded it, and by allowing it to dry for two or three 

 hours before he ventured to move it, was enabled to carry 

 away entire, and he now pi'esented it, with its contents, to the 

 Academy. 



These urns varied in size, and were in general from about 

 eight to fifteen inches in height. Closely adjoining one of 

 the larger ones, in fact crushed against it, lay two smaller, 

 measuring probably but two or three inches each in diameter; 

 these latter ones did not appear to have held bones. In 



