NOTES ON SOME PREHISTORIC JET ORNAMENTS 

 FROM EAST YORKSHIRE. 



J. K. MOKTIMER. 



Driffield. 



Jet, sometimes called ' black amber,' is familiar to most people, 

 and, like amber, has a veg-etable origfin, is easy to work, and 

 takes a higfh polish. In Yorkshire it is found in silu in the 

 Liassic shales near Whitb^^ and also occurs as pebbles in 

 the Holderness Glacial beds and on the coast. It is likewise 

 found in similar situations in France, Spain, and other parts 

 of the Continent. 



We first become acquainted with the manufactured form oi 

 the mineral in British i^raves, in the form of buttons, studs, 

 pendants, beads, and necklaces. 



The specimens in m}- own collection were found in 29 separate 

 deposits with human remains, 21^ occurring- with inhumed inter- 

 ments, and 6 with cremated burials. They include 5 necklaces, 

 19 pierced buttons, 3 long links, 2 pendants of roug-h jet, 3 single 

 beads, 2 dumbell-shaped studs, i spindle-shaped object, and 

 2 pierced circular rings — 37 in all. 



Of the necklaces, which consist of beads of various shapes, 

 four (one of which consists of over 630 beads) accompanied 

 inhumed bodies, almost certainly those of females, and one was 

 found with cremated bones, probably also those of a female. 



Of the nineteen buttons (Fig. 5) found with fourteen inter- 

 ments, all accompanied inhumed interments, except in three 

 instances of cremated deposits with each of which a single 

 specimen was found. 



The three long links (Fig. 4) are of uncommon occurrence. 

 Each accompanied an unburnt body, and their use is uncertain. 



The two pierced pendants of rough jet had most likely been 

 used as charms, suspended from the neck. One was found with 

 a cremated body, and the other with an unburnt body. 



O'i the single beads two were with a cremated body, and the 

 position of the third was not ascertained. 



The two dumbell-shaped studs were found with the remains 

 of a young female, and as they occurred one on each side of the 

 neck it is possible they were worn as ornaments in the lobes of 

 the ears. 



1903 June I. 



