The Grave-mounds of Derbyshire, and their Contents. 181 



number on the neighbouring borders of the adjoining county, 

 Staffordshire, which bear the affix of Low, barrows have 

 .already been opened, or are known to exist. For my present 

 purpose, the names of Arbor-Low, Kens-Low, Ringham-Low, 

 Blake-Low, Fox-Low, Gib-Low, Green-Low, Great-Low, Grind- 

 Low, Cal-Low, Chelmorton-Low, Casking-Low, Larks-Low, 

 Thirkel-Low, Bibden-Low, Har-Low, Bas-low, High-Low, 

 Foo-Low, Lean-Low, Huck-Low, Borther-Low, Dow-Low, 

 Totman ; s-Low, Staden-Low, and Stan-Low, will be quite suffi- 

 •cient to give as illustrative examples. To some of these I shall 

 again have occasion to refer. 



The grave-mounds of the district of which I am speaking 

 may, naturally, be divided into the three great periods ; the 

 Celtic, the Romano -British, and the Anglo-Saxon. Of these by 

 far the greatest number are Celtic, whilst the least number 

 are Romano-British. It is my intention to divide my subject 

 into these three periods, and, while speaking of the charac- 

 teristics of each, to classify and describe the contents of the 

 barrows and to point out, briefly, such circumstances of inter- 

 ment, and such evidences of customs, which they may present 

 and which may appear to be of sufficient interest and impor- 

 tance for my purpose. 



THE CELTIC PERIOD. 



The barrows of the Celtic, or ancient British period vary 

 in their form and size as much as they do in their modes of 

 construction, and in their contents. Sometimes they are simply 

 mounds of earth raised over the interment ; sometimes heaps 

 of stones piled up over the body ; and sometimes again a 

 combination of cist, and earth, and stone. Generally speaking, 

 the mounds are circular, rising gradually and gently from the 

 level of the ground towards the centre, but in some instances 

 the rise is somewhat acute. Now and then they are oval in 

 form. Where elliptical barrows occur (generally known as 

 ^long barrows") they are, I have reason to believe, not matters 

 of original design, but of accident, through additional inter- 

 ments ; and I much doubt the propriety of archaeologists at the 

 present day, continuing the very questionable nomenclature 

 adopted by Sir R. C. Hoare and others. An examination of a 

 very large number of barrows leads me to the opinion that the 

 original form of all was circular, and that no deviation from 

 that form, and no difference in section, can be taken as indica- 

 tive of period or of race. 



The Celtic barrows of Derbyshire contain interments both 

 by inhumation and cremation, and the modes of interment vary 

 very considerably. Where interment has been by inhumation, 



