BURNT BODIES. 15 



the burning, but were left in the position they had occupied before 

 the fire was applied, as in the barrows Nos. Ixxix, Ixxxvi. 



A deposit of burnt bones is sometimes found to comprise the 

 remains of more than one body, which, in some instances, are those 

 of a woman and child, probably a mother and her offspring, but in 

 other cases they are the bones of adults. 



It is not an uncommon occurrence to find pins, generally made 

 of bone, but sometimes of wood, with a deposit of burnt bones. In 

 most cases they are calcined, and no doubt represent the fastening 

 of the dress or covering in which the body was enclosed before the 

 burning took place ; but in others the pin is found to be untouched 

 by fire, and it is probable, where this is the case, that it had served 

 to fasten a cloth or hide in which the bones were deposited after 

 they were collected from the funeral pile J . The remains of such 

 cloth has occasionally been met with 2 . The bones are generally 

 found to be remarkably free from any extraneous substance, even 

 charcoal, which naturally might be looked for, being, if present 

 at all, only in small pieces, and to a very trifling extent. This is 

 found to be the case more especially when the bones are enclosed 

 in an urn, cist, or hollow made in the ground, though sometimes 

 under these circumstances much charcoal has been placed over the 

 deposit, but not amongst the bones. When the bones, however, are 

 widely scattered amongst soil, which is not a common occurrence, 

 then charcoal is not unfrequently freely intermixed. It would 

 seem from this that they must have been collected from the place of 

 burning with more than common care. This pious and reverential 

 custom is described by Homer 3 , when he speaks of the white bones 

 of Hector being gathered up (from amongst the ashes of the funeral 

 pile) by his brethren and companions. 



A deposit of burnt human bones is sometimes found to contain a 

 small number of animal bones mixed up with them. From the fact 

 that they are not present in all cases, and that when they do occur 

 it is only in small numbers, it is probable that they are there 

 accidentally 4 . When the bones of the burnt body were collected 



1 Homer, describing the burial of Hector, says that the bones (or the golden urn in 

 which they were placed, for it is doubtful to which he refers) were wrapped in a soft 

 purple cloth. Iliad, xxiv. 796. 



2 Hoare, Ancient Wilts, vol. i. pp. 113, 114, 169. 



3 Iliad, xxiv. 793. 



" * It has been stated that, amongst some deposits of burnt human bones found in 

 Scotland and Ireland, a large number of animal bones have been mixed up. I have 

 not, however, been able to obtain any trustworthy information on the matter. 



