BARROW-DIGGING AT MARTINSTOWN. 1J 



arrangement of them had some significance. (See sectional 

 diagram, PI. I.) As the excavation was pushed forward in a 

 N.N.W. direction, the nodules were seen to be continuous, and 

 were found at a higher level as the work progressed. It was, there- 

 fore, obvious that the flints represented a stone cairn, the precise 

 size of which could only be ascertained approximately owing to 

 its extending considerably beyond the limits of the main cutting 

 on the north-west. The cutting was, however, widened to a 

 certain extent at this point, and it was fortunate that this was 

 done, as a most interesting interment by inhumation, undoubt- 

 edly the primary interment, rewarded the excavators for the 

 hard work entailed in removing the greater part of the cairn of 

 flints. 



The southern corner of the grave, cut out of the solid chalk, 

 was soon discovered at a distance of 10-4 feet from the central 

 picket of the barrow in a northerly direction. As the western 

 corner of the grave proved to be 4 feet from the edge of the 

 main cutting, and although, as stated before, the cutting was 

 considerably widened here, this wall or side had to be consider- 

 ably " underpicked " to afford room to uncover the interment in 

 a systematic manner. 



The upper edges of the oblong grave, measuring 5 '8 feet by 

 37 feet, having been laid bare, great care was bestowed in 

 removing the chalk rubble which filled the grave. Both above 

 and below the upper edges of the grave a quantity of fragmentary 

 human remains (including pieces of skull, some abnormally 

 thick, in one or two cases 9 mm.) and many flint flakes were 

 found mixed with the chalk rubble and the nodules of flint. 

 At this stage it was found impossible to continue to preserve 

 and count the flint flakes found in the barrow. The investi- 

 gators, however, think it desirable to record that 1,298 flint 

 flakes were counted, many of the best being preserved. 



The skull of the skeleton (Plate IV.), was discovered resting on 

 the bottom of the grave on its right side and facing north-east. 

 As will be seen by reference to the plan and the photograph of 

 the interment (PI. V.), the skeleton was in a contracted posture, 



