44 PAPERS, ETC. 



about four feet wide, and cut down to the natural surface 

 of the Boil, The first two or three days' labour produced 

 nothing reraarkable. They then met with the bones of a 

 human skeleton, a secondary interment, probably, which 

 appeared to have rolled down with the loose stones from 

 above ; but there was no appearance of a eist made to re- 

 ceive the body. Shortly after some fragments of pottery 

 of unbaked clay, and also of baked (evidently turned in a 

 lathe), were picked up, which had the appearance of 

 Roman manufacture. As they came near the centre, 

 within a foot of the eist (aecording to the aecount of the 

 workmen), they met with a Denarius of Julia Mammasa, 

 and another of Alexander Severus, both plated coins, the 

 silver or tin having worn off in some parts, so as to shew 

 the metal of which they were composed. On coming to 

 the eist, nearly in the centre of the tumulus, it was found 

 to be formed of stones, piled one above the other, making 

 an uncemented wall, enclosing a space of three and a half 

 feet wide, and as many deep. The height could not be 

 judged of correctly, as the covering stones had fallen in, 

 but it is supposed, from circumstances afterwards observed 

 of the passage leading to it, that it was nearly six feet. 

 On a flat stone at the bottom of the eist was deposited a 

 brass (i. e. bronze) instrument (either a spear head or 

 dagger), seven inches in length, the edges and point very 

 sharp, and the surface highly gilt. Near it stood a small 

 brown unbaked clay vessel, neatly ornamented by the hand, 

 about five inches wide and three deep. About one inch 

 from the bottom were two holes, to let out any liquor that 

 might be employed by way of libation at the interment. 

 Both inside and outside were ornamented with zigza£ or- 

 naments, and the interval filled up with dots, the lines 

 appear to have been done by some pointed instrument and 



