PARISH OF NETHER SWELL. 447 



of twisted-thong, and consisting 1 of a zigzag line, with its triangular 

 spaces filled in with lines each parallel to those of the zigzag ; 

 within the loops is a pattern of horizontal lines of thong- 

 impressions crossed by others placed diagonally. The space 

 between the upper and lower rib has four similarly-shaped loops 

 5|in. high and alternating with those above, and between two 

 of them near the top are the remains of a short horizontal raised 

 rib about 1 in. long. It should be here observed that, when the 

 height of the urns is taken into consideration with the depth of 

 the hollow in which they were placed, the second interment could 

 not have been made until, from the subsidence of the overlying 

 material, the urn, containing the first interment, had been crushed 

 and flattened. This fact would seem to imply that the two 

 burials were not contemporaneous. At a depth of 2J ft. from the 

 surface of the barrow the material was entirely earth. This inner 

 mound was 9 ft. in diameter, and covered another pile of stones 6J ft. 

 in diameter and 2J ft. high, the stones of which were arranged 

 sloping towards the centre. The whole barrow thus consisted 

 of a mound of stone overlaid by a coating of earth 9 in. thick, and 

 that again covered by stones. The innermost mound was placed 

 over a central grave sunk into the rock to a depth of 2 ft. ; it was 

 of an oval form, widening from 3 ft. 2 in. by 2 ft. at the bottom, 

 to 4 ft. by 3 ft. at the top, the direction being north-north-east and 

 south-south-west. It was carefully lined at the sides with flag- 

 stones (eleven principal and two smaller ones), and it was also 

 flagged at the bottom, but there were no cover-stones. On the 

 bottom was the body of a man past middle life, laid on the left 

 side, the head being to N.N.E. and close to that end of the grave, 

 with the hands up to and in front of the face. The grave was 

 filled in with earth, and many pieces of charcoal were found close to 

 the bones. In that part of the barrow which was made of earth 

 were discovered, a duckbill-shaped flint scraper If in. long, very 

 carefully made ; a burnt flint, which has probably formed part of 

 a similar implement ; an oval and flat quartzite pebble 1 J in. long, 

 much bruised at one end by use, probably in flaking flint; and 

 a piece of the rim of a vessel of pottery ornamented with twisted- 

 thong impressions. Some few chippings of flint were found in 

 other parts of the barrow. 



CCXVII. The next adjoining mound to the north-east proved 

 to be of very remarkable construction, and not easy of explanation 



