206 YORKSHIRE. EAST RIDING. 



small long barrow, which had been taken advantage of in later 

 times, when it was again used as a place of burial, and by the 

 additions then made to it turned into a round barrow. A similar 

 process had taken place at Westow, where a long mound had become 

 a round one in consequence of subsequent burials, as will be found 

 by reference to the account of the barrow opened by me at that 

 place. A true long barrow once existed not very far from the bar- 

 row now under notice, which presented features analogous to those 

 of the ordinary wold mounds of that character. The burnt bones 

 lately referred to occupied a space of 3 J ft. square, and the burning 

 extended up to the knees of the body of a strongly-made man about 

 30 years of age, who was laid on the left side, 13 ft. east-south-east 

 from the centre, the head being to N.W., the right hand on the 

 left arm, and the left hand up to the face. At the crown of the 

 head was a bone pin, 3^ in. long, and a small quartz pebble. There 

 was a good deal of charcoal about the body, especially at the head, 

 above which lay the left femur of a young person, while in front of 

 the head, and also at the hip, was a single piece of burnt bone. At 

 a point 7 ft. east-south-east of the centre was the body of a young 

 child, about 2^ years old, partly disturbed, and immediately east- 

 south-east of it were three skulls, placed in contact with each other- 

 so as to present the trefoil figure. That one which was furthest 

 to the west was placed on its base, some cervical vertebrae and 

 others from amongst the upper bones of the body being in connec- 

 tion with it and apparently in situ. This skull was that of, probably, 

 a boy, about 15 years old ; the other two skulls, those of older 

 persons, one quite an aged woman, were placed on their crowns, and 

 no bones of their respective bodies were present 1 . Beneath the 

 three skulls there was an oval hollow, 3J ft. by 2J ft. and 1 J ft. 

 deep, which contained burnt earth, some charcoal, and a few 

 calcined bones. This was, it is probable, the central point of the 

 barrow, and the disturbance of the several bodies above noticed was 

 possibly caused by the placing a burnt body in this hollow, a few 



1 Instances analogous to this have been met with in other parts of England. 

 Mr. Bateman says that in a grave below a barrow near Monsel Dale 'were two 

 small human crania, placed side by side, near a drinking cup. ... It is singular that 

 no trace either of the lower jaws or of any other parts of the skeleton could be seen, 

 though no disarrangement had ever taken place in this part of the mound, and it is 

 certain that the crania alone had been buried there. At a little distance from them 

 was the skeleton of a child and one cylindrical jet bead/ Ten Years' Diggings, p. 76. 

 In a barrow at Steepleton, in Dorsetshire, Mr. Warne found an urn containing a 

 deposit of burnt bones, and e resting upon it was a perfect human skull, which showed 

 no appearance of the action of fire.' Celtic Tumuli of Dorse p. 45. 





