494 LONG BARROWS. 



extending over the whole length of the mesial deposit which 

 contained the burials, was a pile of oolitic slabs, arranged in a 

 sloping fashion from the middle to the outside, forming a roof- 

 shaped ridge, 4J ft. wide, and rising to the surface of the barrow. 

 Under this, and resting upon a pavement of flag-stones 2J ft. wide, 

 which extended from a point 12 ft. west of the commencement of 

 the mesial deposit to the end of the same, for a distance of 18 ft., 

 the principal part of the burials were discovered. Below the flag- 

 stones the surface-soil was reddened by the action of fire, to a depth 

 of about 6 in. Great quantities of charcoal were found all along 

 the outside of the burnt matter and underneath the pile of stones 

 arranged roof-fashion, to which allusion has been already made. 

 Without this pile, the material of the containing mound, consisting 

 principally of earth, was also reddened by heat, the discoloured 

 earth sometimes running for more than a foot in an irregular 

 fashion into the surrounding and unaltered material. 



The principal primary burials commenced with the flagging, 

 12 ft. west of the eastern end of the mesial deposit. The first met 

 with consisted of a large number of calcined bones belonging to 

 three bodies, irregularly disposed, and not presenting the appear- 

 ance of having been complete when first deposited in the mound, 

 though this appearance might be caused by the three bodies being 

 laid in close juxtaposition. They were placed on the flagging above 

 mentioned, which was at this point about 2 ft. above the level of 

 the natural surface, and were covered over with burnt soil of a very 

 fine description, having much of the appearance of what burnt 

 turfs would have resulted in : over this was the ridge-shaped pile of 

 flag-stones. The bones, which are those of two young women (one 

 18 to 20, the other 20 to 24 years of age) and of an infant, extended 

 over a space of about 5 ft. in length, and 2J ft. in width, that of the 

 pavement. About 9ft. west of the first deposit of bones was a 

 body, laid on the right side, in the ordinary contracted position, 

 with the head to N,W. The bones were completely calcined, 

 though still remaining in their natural order, and were covered, as 

 in the case of those last mentioned, by fine burnt earth and the 

 ridge-shape pile of stone. The body was that of an adult, probably 

 a man. Immediately to the west of this last was a second body, 

 that of an adult, of no great strength and of uncertain sex, 

 presenting the same features as the former one. It was also laid 

 on the right side, but with the head to N.E. ; the heads of both 

 bodies being almost in immediate contact. Close by the second 



