334 YORKSHIRE, NORTH RIDIKG. 



that the body had not been burnt, for bones which have been 

 calcined seem never to go to decay. 



Parish of Egton. Ord. Majo. xcvi. n.e. 



CXXIV. About two miles south-west of Eg-ton Bridge, and close 

 by the side of the road leading across the moor, is a barrow 

 called William Howe. It was entirely composed of stones, being 

 what would be called further north a cairn ; a large quantity of the 

 stones had been removed in order to form the road above mentioned. 

 When this was in process of making (about 1820) several vessels of 

 pottery are said to have been found in the barrow. The mound had 

 originally been about 80 ft. in diameter, and was still 6 ft. high. 

 On the south-east side, 23 ft. from the centre, a deposit of the burnt 

 bones of an adult was discovered ; they were laid upon the surface 

 of the ground, and spread in a scattered fashion over a space of 

 quite 3 ft. in diameter, a rather unusual feature, the remains of a 

 burnt body being generally collected together and placed in a heap. 



Fig. 137. i. 



Some fragments of charcoal were interspersed amongst the bones, 

 and in contact with them, lying at intervals of several inches apart, 

 were fifteen jet beads [fig. 137]. These no doubt had once formed 

 the necklace of the woman whose calcined remains were here 

 deposited. The beads did not show the slightest trace of the action 

 of fire, and must have been removed from the cord on which they 

 had been strung and strewn amongst the burnt bones after they 

 had become cold. This is by no means an uncommon occurrence ; 

 and not only ornaments such as these but implements of flint are 

 sometimes found accompanying deposits of burnt bones, which 

 have not themselves passed through the funeral fire. Fourteen of 

 these beads are nearly cylindrical in shape, only swelling a little 

 towards the middle, and they vary from 1 in. to If in. in length ; 

 the remaining bead presents a square section. They are all 

 perforated with great nicety, and this together with the mmuteness 

 of the bore makes it more than probable that the drilling had been 



