134 British Urns found at Hoprig. By Jas. Hardy. 



that direction, (the old whorls are bored in a similar manner). 

 These bands, as well as the knobs are traversed obliquely by 

 short string or comb markings ; but it is observable, that the 

 portion of the ornament that would cross the perforations, is 

 removed to the underside of the band, not above its ridge. Then 

 intervenes a space with string markings arranged alternately 

 vertically and horizontally, but the spaces are not equidistant. 

 The second and narrower raised band has 12 knobs, which as 

 well as the upper and lower margins of the band, carry oblique 

 marks of string pattern. The lower part or division is very 

 smooth, as if polished, and is interspersed with numerous ovate 

 or oval smooth depressions, which Mr Smith thinks were done 

 with the nail of the fore-finger. After an interval, where there 

 are fewer of these marks, they again increase on the tapering 

 contraction towards the narrow base. These numerous marks 

 remind one of the black dots with tails placed on funeral 

 escutcheons, emblematical of the tears of bereaved relatives and 

 friends. There is a regular formed flat base, with its outer rim 

 neatly notched with oblique bands formed of close-placed nail 

 impressions. 



It is not improbable that a separate mound distinguished the 

 locality of this urn, which had been levelled when the heather- 

 clad surface was first " torn out." 



I heard of this discovery early, but owing to a severe cold, could 

 not venture out, during the bitter winds then prevalent, but the 

 Eev. Joseph Hunter, Cockburnspath, came to Mr Smith's assist- 

 ance, and both of them resolved to have a trial made by digging 

 down nearer the centre of what had apparently been a Cairn. 

 Here on April 8th a cist composed of sandstone and basaltic sJabs, 

 was come upon; (Plate I. F. 6.) ; the cover of which had been 

 removed, possibly, at some former period of disturbance. There 

 was no bottom slab ; the bottom being sand. It lay E. and W. 

 The cist was 45 inches long by 29 and 32 inches broad, and 24 

 inches deep. In this had been deposited a doubled up skeleton 

 near the western end ; some of the lumbar and leg bones ; and a 

 few vertebrae remained ; but most of the osseous fragments were in 

 a decayed state. There was no cranium. It is just possible, that 

 the upper slab had once been ploughed up ; and taken away, 

 along with the cranium, and that then the grave had been cover- 

 ed in. At a short distance were deposited three flints, and a 

 little apart a portion of botryoidal red hematite iron ore, rubbed 



