Page:VCH Derbyshire 1.djvu/229

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lirvxviv i ivj.rxi"N 7 with heads pointing to the north 8 north-e EARLY MAN th ,-east 7 east 8 south-east 10 south 7 south-west 8 west 3 north-west Of 74 instances in which the side upon which the body lay has been specified; 38 were on the left side and 36 were on the right. The Rev. Dr. Greenwell, who drew his conclusions from a much larger number of examples, found that in the majority of instances the body had been so placed as to face the sun during some part of the day; that is, while the fewest faces looked towards the north-east, the most were directed to the south, nearly 60 per cent of the whole number having their gaze confined to directions ranging from south-west to south-east. If we analyze the 44 Derbyshire cases in which both the direction of the body and the side upon which it lay are given, we obtain a similar result. Here again the north-east was the most avoided point of the compass, but instead of the south the largest number faced the west, the south closely following ; while over 60 per cent of the total number looked in directions between the west and the south-east. It seems clear therefore that no importance was attached to the direction of the body and the side upon which it lay, except so far as they enabled it to face the source of light and life. But this was not a rule strongly insisted upon. The various objects which have been conveniently termed ' grave- goods,' associated with the different interments, have, as already stated, all the characteristics of a common age. The most remarkable and interesting of these objects are the earthen vessels. Besides the cinerary urns referred to above, vessels of other shapes, but of the same rude, hand-made, and imperfectly fired ware, have been frequently found, and are known as ' drinking cups,' ' food vases' and 'incense cups.' The first two are, with little doubt, rightly named, for both in Derbyshire and elsewhere traces indicating the former presence of liquids or foods have been observed in them. The term ' incense cup ' is a fanciful one, for the use of these changeful little vessels is uncertain. The decora- tion of all these vessels, although varying greatly in elaboration, is essentially identical in technique and design. It is made up of ex- tremely simple elements, in which the right line plays a chief part. These lines have most frequently been impressed from twisted thongs or notched stamps ; less frequently they are simply grooves. Their com- binations are extremely varied, consisting of simple bands of parallel lines ; parallel lines in alternate series, horizontal and vertical ; zig-zags and triangles of varying degrees of complexity ; ' herring-bone ' and latticed diapers, etc. Dots from simple punches and impressions of the finger nail and tip occur, but they play a very subordinate part. The drinking cups are, as a class, the most carefully and elaborately decorated,