Page:VCH Staffordshire 1.djvu/211

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

EARLY MAN 3. Skeleton of middle-aged person, accompanied by a neatly chipped spear-nead of flint. 4. Skeleton of a young hog inclosed in a roughly constructed cist. A tine from a stag's horn was buried with the hog. 5. Cinerary urn decorated with a cheveron pattern containing calcined bones, portions of bone implements (probably tools for modelling pottery), and part of a fine flint which had been damaged by fire. 6. Skeleton with legs drawn up. Near it was a thin layer of charred wood and two flakes of flint. 7. Deposit of calcined bones. 8. Skeleton accompanied by an arrow-head of white flint, and pieces of ornamented pottery. 9. Two skeletons, one that of an adult, the other that of a child a few months old. 10. Skeleton of an aged man with legs drawn up, accompanied by a handsome drinking cup 7 J in. high, and a few chippings of flint. 1 1. This was a somewhat doubtful deposit near one end of the ellipse, consisting mainly of rats' bones, pebbles, and a long triangular flake of calcined flint. 12. Decayed bones including part of a skull were placed within a pentagonal cist, and covered by a broad and thin slab. 13. Skeleton of very young person, placed close to an upright flat stone, and accom- panied by a flint chip. 14. Skull, much decayed, accompanied by one piece of burnt flint. The great importance of this series of interments within one mound is obvious ; and not the least remarkable feature is the cist containing the skeleton of a hog. This deposit, it will be noticed, occupies practically the central position in the barrow. It is impossible to resist the impression that this burial must have been closely associated with superstitions or religious beliefs of the ancient people who here buried their dead. 21. Wetton near Hill. Two skeletons were found in this barrow, one being accompanied by a beautiful little earthen vase, 4^ in. high, with a fluted border and four perforated ears. Pieces of flint and a tine of stag's horn lay near. 22. Ham. In a barrow on the top of Hazleton Hill above Inkley Wood, and at the back of Ham Hall, were found : 1. A rock grave surrounded by flat stones placed on edge, and divided into two equal compartments by the same means, one containing calcined human bones, two inferior arrow- points of flint and a broken pebble, and the other containing wood ashes and a few pieces of bone. 2. A plain urn of thin pottery inverted over a few burnt bones which lay on a flat stone. 3. Pieces of a coarse urn, black ashes, burnt earth, a fine circular instrument, and numerous pieces of calcined flint, all contained in a depression in the earth. 4. A similar deposit surrounded by large stones containing a few calcined bones, a fine round instrument and chippings of flint, and a piece of lead weighing 3^ oz. 5. There were also found in the barrow four more circular instruments, numerous pebbles, and a piece of iron ore. 23. Gateham. In a flat barrow near Gateham were found, under a broken urn with cheveron pattern in dotted lines, a few crumbling fragments of calcined bone. 24. Blore. Barrow in a field called Nettles. On being opened there were found a deposit of calcined bones and a broken urn of red clay contain- ing a small vase or incense cup. The larger vessel had a deep border orna- mented with diagonal lines disposed in triangles in alternate directions. 175