A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



but in no other case has the entire personal property of a family at the moment 

 when they were living and were dead been found. 



With reference to the cave itself it may be explained that its main axis 

 had a direction nearly north and south, and was, more or less, parallel to the 

 ravine through which Heathery Burn finds its course. At the south end it 

 came in contact with a vein of ironstone, which stopped its further extension 

 in that direction. It then turned abruptly at a right angle to the east, and so 

 continued for a distance of 65 feet, forming an eastern limb or extension 

 which had an average width of about 12 feet. 



The limestone floor of the cave had become covered with a deposit of 

 gravel and sand which was not continuous over the entire floor, nor was it of 

 uniform thickness, the average being about a foot. Above it was a bed of 

 stalagmite varying in thickness from 3 to 6 inches. The height did not in 

 any part exceed 10 feet, and in some parts it was much less. The width 

 varied from 10 feet to 30 feet, but in one part it was only 2 feet. 



The following list comprises the most important articles found in the cave: 



An armlet of gold of penannular form, with the ends slightly dilated, made by a narrow band 

 of thin metal, with the edges turned over. 



Penannular hollow ring of gold, skilfully made by joining two thin plates, one turned over the 

 other at the outer edge. This, which is no doubt to some extent an ornamental object, has usually 

 been found associated with armlets ; its use is uncertain. 



Bronze swords, two complete specimens, one of which is broken into three pieces, and a portion 

 of a third ; they are of the ordinary leaf-shape form, well cast and finished, with handle-plate and 

 rivet-holes for the attachment of bone or wood to complete the handle. 



Bronze spear-heads, eight or more in number, all of leaf-shape pattern, varying in length from 

 6f inches to n inches. They are very well made, and two are beautiful specimens of graceful 

 form and good proportion, having a slight rib, which runs on each side parallel to the midrib, or 

 socket-ridge, which forms a most tasteful addition to them. 



Implements, as might be expected, are more numerous than weapons. They consist of several 

 kinds, namely : 



Three knives, two of which have sockets with rivet holes, and a third a tang. One of the 

 socketed knives is ornamented with six knobs, survivals, no doubt, of the heads of rivets. The tanged 

 one shows signs of long-continued use on its whetted edges. 



One bronze 'razor' with a tang, and the usual triangular-shaped notch with a small perforation 

 beneath its point. This class of implement may have been used for cutting leather or hides rather 

 than for shaving, but they more probably served as razors. 



At least nineteen socketed axes, which varied in length from 3^ inches to 4 inches. The 

 larger proportion are decorated with three vertical ribs, a very common feature, which occurs in one 

 of the axes in the Stanhope hoard. Others are quite plain ; but one has an ornament now and then 

 met with on socketed axes which suggests the survival of the curved wings of the flanged axe. 



Half of a celt mould, a pair of tongs, a waste runner of bronze, and a piece of rough copper, 

 found in the cave, afford sufficient evidence that these people made their own tools. Some of the 

 axes were probably cast in the mould, of which one-half was found. 



Two small bronze chisels, one socketed, the other having the opposite end pointed as if it were 

 intended to be used as an awl or borer. 



Three socketed gouges, or hollow chisels. 



Fifteen or more bronze pins, of lengths varying from 2% inches to 5f inches. 



Fourteen or more rings, in addition to the eight already mentioned as having been found in 

 1 843. They are all quite plain, and of varying sizes and thickness. 



Three bronze armlets, and a portion of a fourth. Two of them are penannular with expanding 

 ends ; the third, however, is of a quite different form, being made of a piece of thin wire doubled 

 over with a loop in the middle, having the two ends of the wire so bent round as to clasp the loop. 



Eight cylindrical hoops of thin bronze, probably armlets. They have been cast in one piece 

 with great skill, and have on the inside a groove which corresponds to a raised rib running round the 

 middle of the armlet outside. If they were armlets, of which there cannot be any doubt, they were 

 probably worn on the upper part of the arm. They are certainly not, as has been suggested, the naves 

 of chariot wheels. 



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