the Downs of North Wiltshire. 



329 



We re-opened the large barrow, No. 1 on the plan of Sir R. C. 

 Hoare, in which he found the large skeleton of a man, "the chief," 

 as he supposed, "of the clan that inhabited these downs," interred 

 in "the post of honour adjoining the sacred circle." Near the head, 

 were a small celt, a pin with a handle, and the blade of a small 



Blade of Knife or Lance, Pin, and Celt of Bronze. — Actual size. 



lance (or knife) all of bronze. The skeleton was in the contracted 

 position, but did not as usual range north and south, but east and 

 west, the feet being to the west — the reverse of the position in 

 Christian cemeteries ; reminding us of the passage in Cymbeline 

 (Act iv. sc. 2.), where Shakespeare makes Ghriderius say of the sup- 

 posed corpse of Imogen, 



"Nay Cadwal, we must lay his head to the east: 

 My father hath a reason for't." 

 The skull was well preserved, and has been described and figured 

 in the "Crania Britannica;" and the whole skeleton justified the 

 statement of Sir R. C. Hoare, who says it was "one of the most 

 perfect interments he had ever found." 1 



1 Ancient Wilts, vol. ii. pp. 90, 91. 



