SEPULCHRAL MOUNDS, ETC., OF THE ANCIENT WORLD. 1]7 



endeavored to make as high a mound as possible." — (^Melpomene, LXXI.) The 

 richness of the Scythian barrows is extraordinary ; and according to Strahlenberg, 

 the local governors of Siberia used formerly to authorize caravans or expeditions 

 " to visit and ransack the tombs," reserving to themselves a tenth of the treasures 

 recovered. — {Siberia, p. 366.) In the second volume of the British Archasologia, is 

 an account of the opening of one of the large tumuli in southern Siberia. After 

 removing the superincumbent earth and stones, three vaults, constructed of unhewn 

 stones and of rude workmanship, were discovered. The central one was largest, 

 and contained the remains of the individual over whom the tumulus had been 

 erected. It also contained his sword, spear, bow, quiver, arrows, etc. In the 

 vault at his feet, were the skeleton and trappings of a horse ; in the vault at his 

 head, a female skeleton, supposed to be that of his wife. The male skeleton 

 reclined against the head of the vault, on a sheet of pure gold, extending from 

 head to foot, and another of like dimensions was spread over it.. It had been 

 wrapped in a rich mantle, studded with rubies and emeralds. The female skeleton 

 was enveloped in like manner : a golden chain of many links, set with rubies, went 

 round her neck, and there were bracelets of gold upon her arms. The four sheets 

 of gold weighed forty pounds. 



In some instances, the bodies were burned before interment. All of the Scythian 

 barrows contain numerous relics of art, ornaments of gold and silver and precious 

 stones, weapons and implements of war, domestic utensils, mirrors, images and 

 idols, vases of metal and pottery, grains of the millet kind, etc., etc. — {StraMenherg, 

 pp. 264, 268; RenneVs Herodotus, p. 110.) 



These ancient tombs, which are called Bogri by the Russians, are often plain 

 mounds. Some were set round with rough stones in a circle or square : others 

 with hewn stones. In the squares the corner-stone was usually higher and broader 

 than the others, and sometimes bore inscriptions. Occasionally, the barrow was 

 surmounted with a stone, or stela. 



In Rajast'han, the practice of burying the distinguished dead under tumuli still 

 exists. Previous to interment, the body is burned, as is also the wife of the deceased, 

 who in all cases accompanies her lord. Monumental pillars are also erected, 

 rudely carved with emblematic figures. They are placed in lines, irregular groups, 

 and in circles, and are numerous in the vicinity of every large town. These tombs 

 are places of sacrifice, and to them the Rajpoot repairs at stated intervals, to make 

 offerings to the manes of his ancestors. — {Tod''s Rajast^han, Vol. I., pp. 72, 75.) 



A singular variety of tumular structures, maintaining a certain resemblance to 

 those of other portions of the globe, but having many essentially peculiar features, 

 is found in Sweden. They are, for the chief part, circular : sometimes, however, 

 there is a square enclosure of upright stones, with a conical barrow in the centre, 

 which has its base surrounded with upright stones ; midway between this and the 

 summit, the circumference is marked by a second ring of upright stones ; close 

 to the summit, a third belt encircles it, and the crest of the barrow is crowned by 

 a cromlech, or group of stones. Another variety has a circle of upright stones 

 around the base of a carnedd, or stone mound. A third variety has a circular belt of 

 upright stones around a conical barrow, which is surmounted by a single upright 



