70 LEADEN COFFIN FOUND AT CANN. 



stone fragments which covered the coffin when buried. 1 It 

 consists of one sheet of lead bent over at the margins to form a 

 lid which would not slip out of position. It was found to be 3ft. 

 Sins, in length, and the width 12ins. at the head and llins. at 

 the foot. On removing the cover it was found that the coffin 

 measured 3ft. Gins, in length, the varying widths being lljins. 

 at the head, enlarging slightly to 12ins. and then gradually 

 diminishing towards the foot to lOins. The internal depth 

 of the coffin was 7ins. at the head and 6jins. at the foot. 



Through the kind instrumentality of Prof. P. N. Ure, 

 Mr. J. W. Dodgson, Lecturer in Chemistry at University 

 College, Reading, has analysed a boring from the coffin, and 

 he reports " that the lead shows traces of oxydisation such 

 as would be expected in any case, and also minute traces 

 of iron ; silver is not present in weighable quantity." 



Leaves were found in the coffin which are said to have 

 formed a kind of wreath round the forehead of the skeleton. 

 When I visited the farm I could get no definite information 

 on this point, but I found a large number of small leaves, 

 more or less broken, at the head-end of the coffin ; for the 

 most part they were adhering to the bottom by means of a 

 dried material which appeared to have been at one time 

 fine damp earth, or sediment. 2 I submitted a number 

 of these leaves to the late Mr. Clement Reid, F.R.S., asking 

 if he would kindly examine them ; and he reported as 

 follows on November 20th: " These leaves are so thick 

 and leathery that in one case the upper and lower skins 

 moved independently and slid over each other (like 

 an opening pod) ; but there seemed no trace of ordinary 



lm There was no trace of an outer coffin of wood, as in the case of the 

 Marnhull interment mentioned below. 



2 - Not being satisfied with the varying reports with regard to the 

 position of the leaves in the coffin, I recently wrote to Mrs. Drew, and 

 in her reply of January 17th, 1917, she says that the quarrymen have 

 again been questioned. They state that " the leaves were in position of 

 circle at the bottom of the head -end of the coffin ; they were green and 

 stuck with mud ; when found the coffin was partly filled with water." 



