SCARCITY OF BRONZE IMPLEMENTS. 



45 



in the barrow itself. Nor, indeed, would the fact that a sword 

 was found in a barrow show that there was anything more than 

 an accidental connection between the two. The sword might have 

 been deposited in an already existing barrow for concealment or 

 other purpose, just as I have known a small hoard of shillings 

 of Queen Elizabeth to have been found in one. It is only when 

 an article is discovered associated with an interment, or in a 

 barrow under such circumstances as make it clear that no after- 



Fig. 36. 



Fig. 37. 



Fig. 38. 



disturbance of the mound has taken place, that the article can be 

 considered as contemporaneous with the barrow. 



It has also frequently been stated that spear-heads have been 

 met with in barrows, but in every case where I have had an oppor- 

 tunity of testing the report, the so-called spear-head has proved 

 to be either one of the knife-daggers or a dagger. I have little 

 doubt that, could all these cases be investigated, the result of the 

 examination would be found to be the same. 



The fact that so few of the ordinary bronze implements and 

 weapons have been met with in the barrows is a very important one 

 as regards the age of these sepulchral mounds ; for if the barrows 



