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cremation, and with this religious custom the religion that 
had previously existed, which required such structures as the 
enclosures at Avebury and Stonehenge. 
In these tumuli the chief is laid in an excavated cist, with 
his arms folded across his breast, and with his legs crossed; 
the head of a wild boar, a wheel of a chariot, and a horse 
placed on either side of the body; the wheels made of oak, 
which had an iron tire on. them; with various ornaments 
of iron plated with copper, and rings and buckles with their 
tongues remaining in them, as well as pieces of iron, which 
were supposed to be the bridle bits. The umbra and bosses 
of bronze, which formed part of a shield, arrow-points, and 
spear-heads of iron, and a variety of personal ornaments 
made of these metals, have also been found in these tumuli. 
No one can examine these different classes of relics without 
feeling their distinctness of character, and perceiving that 
different customs prevailed during each separate era, although 
they all raised mounds over the remains of the dead; nor 
does there seem to be anything extraordinary in this sudden 
change of people and religion; for if we were to hazard a 
conjecture, without any further evidence, we should assuredly 
conclude that the last people could not have failed to over- 
throw the others, and dominate in the islands, and impose their 
religion on the conquered, from their being in possession of 
metal weapons ; while it follows, as a logical deduction, that 
if the last were Druids, and they did not use the stone circles, 
some previous people must have built and worshipped within 
their precincts. Still, as we are involved in such a maze of 
dark illusions, we naturally grasp with satisfaction any con- 
vincing evidence that may present itself, to throw light upon 
the twin questions, When was iron first used in England ? 
and, Was its value discovered by the inhabitants or brought 
by invaders? and, When was the religion extinguished which 
required such structures as Avebury and Stonehenge? 
Q Q 
