PARISH OF HESLERTON. 141 



were a few potsherds, some chippings of flint, a well-formed flint 

 flake, 2f in. long, much worn by use along both edges, and a thin 

 piece of sandstone, 4 in. long, If in. wide at the narrower end, and 

 If in. at the broader, the latter being rounded. The surface is 

 quite smooth, apparently from use, and the stone seems as though 

 it might have served for rubbing down hides, or some similar 

 purpose. 



PARISH OF HESLERTON. Orel. Map. xcv. s.w. 



IV. I commenced operations on a large series of barrows placed 

 upon the edge of the chalk range and overlooking the valley of 

 the Derwent, by opening one on West Heslerton Wold. It was 

 42ft. in diameter, and still, though somewhat ploughed down, 3 ft. 

 high, and was composed of chalk-rubble above and plain earth 

 below. At the centre was an oval grave, having a direction north- 

 west by south-east, 3 ft. 2 in. long by 2 ft. 4 in. wide, and sunk 

 1 J ft. into the chalk rock. At the bottom of the grave was the 

 body of a young child l , about 2 \ years old, laid on the right side, 

 and with the head to N.W. In front of the knees was placed a 

 large quantity of round dark objects, apparently the seed of some 

 plant, bearing indeed a strong resemblance to the fruit of the 

 juniper 2 . Just above the grave two ox-teeth were met with. 

 On the north side of the barrow were portions of two adult femurs, 

 which may have belonged to a body that had been disturbed when 

 a partial opening, of which very evident signs were found, had been 

 made many years before. In the barrow was a very well made long 

 flint scraper. 



V. About 300 yards to the east of the last barrow was another, 

 oval in shape, and having a direction north-north-east by south- 



1 It is not very uncommon to find that the primary interment in a barrow has been 

 of a child, sometimes of very tender years. I have met with it myself at Ford, 

 Northumberland [No. clxxxvii], and at Rudstone [No. Ixvii], under a very large grave 

 mound. Other explorers have met with the same occurrence. In a cist at the centre 

 of the barrow, and no doubt the primary interment, was 'the skeleton of a child, 

 apparently about ten years of age; above this was a drinking cup/ Bateman, 

 Vestiges, p. 52. In a grave, 5 ft. deep, at the centre of a large barrow, was ' the 

 skeleton of a child, apparently not more than two or three years old, accompanied 

 by a drinking cup/ Hoare, Ancient Wilts, vol. i. p. 210. 



2 Similar deposits have occurred elsewhere. In a cist at Terrachie, near Stone - 

 haven, with a contracted body, were ' not fewer than 150 small black balls, which, on 

 examination, proved to be vegetable, and were most probably acorns/ Proc. Soc. of 

 Ant. of Scotland, vol. i. p. 140. 



