A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE knife of similar workmanship, in one or those at Five- Wells. No arrow-heads of other shapes have, so far as is known, been found in the Derbyshire chambers. Fragments of coarse hand-made pottery were scattered on the Five- Wells site, but it is probable that they were de- rived from destroyed secondary burials at a higher level. The skulls in every case, when sufficiently perfect for their form to be made out, were long or dolichocephalic. Unfortunately, no measurements of the long bones from which the stature might be determined are available, these bones being usually in a very broken condition. The femora which have come under the writer's notice have invariably had the linea aspera developed into a pilaster-like ridge, and the tibias have exhibited in greater or less degree the flattening of the shin (platycnemisni) , which is a common feature in these ancient skeletons. Another feature may be noted the remarkable immunity of these Neolithic people from dental caries. Out of 148 teeth from the Harborough Rocks chamber, many of which were much worn, some indeed so much that they must have been almost level with the gums in life, there were only five or six which showed any signs of caries. The association of numerous skeletons, dolichocephalic skulls and delicate leaf-shaped arrow-heads, with Neolithic chambers, has been ob- served elsewhere in Britain. We need only cross the Derbyshire border a few miles for an excellent example to the point. Mr. Carrington opened a large and little disturbed chamber at Wetton in 1849, and found therein about thirteen dolichocephalic skeletons and several of these arrow-heads. Further afield, at Rodmarton in Gloucestershire, these arrow-heads were all broken, apparently purposely, as seems to have been the case at Harborough Rocks. In one respect however the Derby- shire barrows of the class which have been best investigated namely those of Mininglow, Five- Wells and Harborough Rocks differ from those elsewhere in being circular instead of elongated, and in having abrupt instead of incurved entrances. In these features, coupled with the wedge-shaped plans and inward-leaning sides of their chambers, we seem to have a distinct local type ; but it is not safe to assume that the less known Derbyshire examples, although probably circular in every case, are of this type. The absence of mention of galleries may not be due to want of investigation or to oversight, and certainly the Ringhamlow chambers appear to have little in common with those just referred to. A gallery is not the only form of access in a cham- bered tumulus, as has been proved by excavations in other parts of the country. Bronze-Age Interments. Published accounts have appeared of about 250 barrows of our second class, which have been examined in Derby- shire from motives more or less scientific. They differed greatly in size and construction, and their interments showed that during the period when they were raised, both inhumation and cremation were practised, sometimes together. In fact, they may be said to have little in common, 1 68
