ANCIENT BRITISH BURIAL AT ILDERTON. 145 



The burial, which is the subject of this paper, was found 

 December 14, 1863, on a farm occupied by Mr. Clark, at Ilder- 

 ton, and to his care and intelligent interest we are indebted for 

 the preservation of the skull, which would otherwise have per- 

 ished, as has been the fate of nearly all those that have been 

 hitherto discovered in Northumberland.* The cist, in which 

 the body was found, was sunk below the natural surface of a 

 round knoll, which rises several feet above the ordinary level 

 of the adjoining ground. It is difficult to say whether any 

 barrow ever covered it or not. Some years ago a large quan- 

 tity of field stones was removed from the crown of the knoll, 

 and from above the cist, but it is quite possible that these had 

 been gathered off the land, and laid there, when the field was 

 first brought into cultivation. The cist was formed of four slabs 

 of sandstone set on edge, with a flooring of small flags, and one 

 large stone, five feet six inches long by three feet broad, as a 

 cover. The cist lay east and west, and was about three feet six 

 inches long, by one foot ten inches wide, and eighteen inches 

 deep. The body had been doubled up and laid upon its left side, 

 with the head to the east, the hands had been folded upon the 

 belly, the legs drawn up so as to bring the knees close to the 

 chin, and the head and fore part of the body slightly inclined 

 forward. The bones, when first discovered, were of a chalky 

 whiteness, but soon changed to a red earthy colour, which they 

 still retain. All the teeth were then present, but many have 

 since been lost. No urn, implement or weapon was found in the 

 cist. 



The body was deposited in the manner usual in burials of this 

 kind, being doubled up ; it was laid upon the left side, a position 

 which, though not universal, is by far the most common. 



Taking into consideration the formation of the cist, the way 

 in which the skeleton was found placed within it, and the very 

 marked type of the skull, we have no doubt in attributing the 



* We must acknowledge our great obligations to Mr. James Moffatt, of Lilburn Cottage, 

 who, in the kindest way, gave us information of all the facts connected with the position of 

 the body, and who. from his knowledge of the ancient remains in his neighbourhood, has 

 otherwise been of the greatest service to us. 



