1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 231 



itself. From all these the gold has nearly disappeared, while in the 

 little hollow, between these scollopings, where pressure could be easily- 

 applied, and therefore adhesion more perfectly secured, it remains. 



The total weight of this disc in its present state is 170.25 grains, 

 sp. gr. of mass 8.11. 



Whatever the process adopted, the result is excellent and abundant 

 proof that the makers of this little ornament, the manufacturers of 

 this early specimen of imitation jewellery, had advanced far beyond 

 the earlier stages of the metallurgic arts. 



But who were the makers ? Were they also the people who con- 

 structed these rude cairns, and circles of stones and kistvaens ? Or 

 were these ornaments obtained from some other people or race, with 

 whom they maintained intercourse ? There is nothing in the materials 

 employed which would force us to adopt the latter view. Both 

 copper and gold could have been obtained within short distances. 

 For the one, the material could be obtained in a state ready for imme- 

 diate use, while the reduction of copper from its ores is one of the 

 simplest of metallurgic processes, and was known at a very early 

 period. Agates and cornelian were procurable in any quantity at no 

 great distance either. So that, as far as the materials used are con- 

 cerned, there is no necessity to suppose that these ornaments were of 

 other than local manufacture. 



The very brief description given by Captain Cole of the Cromlechs 

 in which these were found gives us very little information as to the 

 mode of their occurrence. He merely says : ' The space within the 

 concentric rows of stones was excavated, and earthen vessels of the 

 exact pattern and description found elsewhere, were discovered, but 

 all in miniature.' I presume from this, that these remains were all 

 found beneath the natural level of the surface of the ground. But the 

 former portion of the description throws a doubt on this, for it says 

 " two of them (the Cromlechs) had upright slabs arched above, so as 

 evidently to have formed an arched entrance within the enclosure." 

 It would appear that this ' arched entrance within' (? into) * the en- 

 closure,' would seem to have been on the level of the ground. It is 

 of some importance to know exactly how this was. For, if reference 

 be made to the earlier examinations of very similar remains in the 

 closely adjoining districts, we find that these earthen vessels, of 



