146 REPORT— 1870. 



terior, and about a foot from the bottom, was found, imbedded among the clay and 

 stones which filled up the chambers, a well-rounded stone ball, 3 inches in dia- 

 meter ; material probably brownish-red hematite. 



Cairn H. 



The present remains of this cairn, the richest of all in its yield of prehistoric ob- 

 jects, are only between 5 and 6 feet higher than the adjoining gi'oirad, and 18 yards 

 in diameter. With the exception of about half a dozen large overlapping flags, the 

 covering- or roofing-stones of the interior chambers had long since disappeared, 

 leaving what remained of the original mound entirely overgrown with grass, and 

 exposed to the destructive influences of rains and frosts. The unroofed passage ami 

 chambers in its interior were filled on top to a depth of about 18 inches with loose 

 stones and earth. Having removed these, the author found the passage itself, from 

 that to the bottom, a depth of about 3 feet more, completely packed with human 

 bones in a fragmentary state, and nearly all showing evidences of having been burnt. 

 Several hundreds of these human bones were collected on the spot and preserved, 

 as they appeared to belong to persons of various ages and -sexes. Of these were 

 portions of skulls, shoulder-blades, limb-bones, &c. The three chambers of this 

 cairn were found filled with a veiy miscellaneous mixture of stones, broken bones, 

 and earth ; the latter in a soft, stitF, retentive state. These contents were removed 

 with great care ; and from them were obtained the following : — One end of a bone 

 bodkin ; one half of a bone ferrule ; six pieces of bone-pins, of which one. If inch 

 long, and highly ornamented, still retains a metallic rivet, which apparently 

 fastened on a head ; one tine of an antler, 3 inches long ; fourteen fragments of very 

 rude pottery, being portions of urns ; ten pieces of flint ; upwards of 200 sea-sheUs, 

 principally limpet- and cockle-shells ; some varieties of small lustrous or shining 

 stones ; several hundred sea-pebbles, of vai'ious hues and sizes ; a small brown 

 stone ball ; one round bone-disk, such as is found inserted between the vertebrae 

 in the skeleton of a whale. 



Underneath the stone basin in the northern chamber were found, imbedded in 

 damp eai'th and mixed with small splinters of burnt bones, six stone balls, the 

 largest about an inch in diameter ; but they were in so soft a state that they could 

 scarcely be touched without injm-ing them. Five of these appear to be white car- 

 bonate of lime, and the sixth a dark-coloured ball, probably made from a fossil, as 

 it exhibits root-like fibres. Chiefly in the southern chamber, and for the most 

 part imbedded in wet stifi'clay, the author obtained the most remarkable collection 

 of bone implements, glass, amber, iron, and bronze which probably has ever been 

 found together under similar circumstances. In a few instances, where the bone 

 articles chanced to be protected by an overlying stone, and in other respects in a dry 

 position, the sound bone still retains its original polish, giving these ai'ticles all 

 the appearance of being quite modem. In all other cases they were foimd in such 

 a soft state that it was with difficulty they could be extracted h-om the tough clay 

 without breaking them. Of these bone implements (nearly 5000 specimens, some 

 in mere fragments), upwards of 100 are still perfect in form, and are of various shapes 

 and sizes, some resembling in contour the flint knives of Scandinavia ; some are 

 perforated by a single hole near the end. Upwards of 500 of the fragments of these 

 bone objects are ornamented with rows of fine parallel transverse lines. Seventy- 

 three of them are engraved (twelve of these on both sides) in a very high order of 

 art, with circles, curves, ornamental puncturings, &c. ; and on one, in cross-hatch 

 lines, is the representation of an an tiered stag. Ten fragments of white and 

 polished bone combs, of various patterns, turned up, seven of which are engraved 

 on both sides, but the heads only and the roots of the teeth of the combs now re- 

 main. There is also a portion of another bone implement, highly ornamented, 

 resembling in shape the cardboard upon which ladies in the present day are accus- 

 tomed to wind silk thread. 



Amhei: — Four beads, the largest scarcely a quarter of an inch in diameter, and 

 four fragments of other amber beads. Glass. — Three small beads, two blue and one 

 green ; two fragments, or broken pieces, of glass ; one tapering piece of hollow glass 

 (apparently) 1 inch in length, and resembling a shark's tooth or a Eupert's drop. 

 Bronze. — Six open rings (that is, not closed into one solid piece), varying from 5 to 



