120 P roteed iix/s of the Asiatic Society. [July, 



Note on the occurrence of Celts in British Bv/rmah. 



The interest awakened by the first discovery of celts in Bundelkand, 

 seems destined to receive additional impetus in whatever quarter a 

 really effective search is*made for stone weapons. In the Madras and 

 North- west districts, the researches of Dr. Oldham and Messieurs Foote 

 and King of the Geological Survey, and the independent labours of 

 Messieurs Cornish, Fraser and Eobinson have brought to light an 

 astonishing number of flint weapons of the ordinary chipped or antique 

 type, a notice of which has already been laid before the Society and a 

 more elaborate and detailed account of which has just been published 

 with plates in the Madras Journal. I have myself now the pleasure 

 to announce that stone weapons are also met with in Burmah, somewhat 

 sparsely within the British boundary and not much below Prome in 

 Pegu Province, but more abundantly above the frontier, along the 

 upper valley of the Irawadi, if we may place reliance on native testi- 

 mony in the matter. 



The Burmese call these weapons Magio or Thunder-chain (Anglice 

 Thunderbolt) and believe that they are projected from the skies with 

 lightning, and not only prize them as medicine, but as rendering the 

 owner of one invulnerable. On this account they are very difficult to 

 procure, and I have been asked 50 rupees for one of the ordinary 

 smooth Indian type, and 15 rupees is a common price to pay for any- 

 thing pretending to be authentic. The value of these implements has 

 possibly led to imitations being made, but little skill is required to 

 detect such imposture. 



The accompanying sketch* of Burmese celts shows the different 

 types which have hitherto occurred to me. 



Nos. I. II. III. and VIII. may be varieties of one type. They are 

 all smoothed and well polished and are unlike any weapon I. am 

 acquainted with from India. No. V. is of a common Indian type of 

 smoothed celt, (compare with No. XI. from Bundelkand) whilst Nos. 

 IV. and VII. are again entirely different and have evidently been used 

 in a handle, which I do not think was the case with any of the 

 others. No. VI. is probably a charm or ornament, and may possibly 

 be manufactured recently out of an old celt, but its probable history 

 or use is extremely doubtful. 



* The sketch has not been published. — Eds. 



