The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-13 00:00:00

Opening of the Castle Howard Tim uli.

The examination of the British graves upon the Castle
Howard estate, in the North Riding, has been placed by the
Earl of Carlisle in the hands of the Rev. Wm. Greenwell,

M.A., of Durham, one of the vice-presidents of the Surtees

Society. hlr Greenwell is a zealous antiquary of much ex'

perience in Bcigautian researches throughout the ancient
Northumbrian kingdom. He, with Mr Pyoock and other

Melton gentlemen interestcd in antiquarian matters recon-
noitred the district on Tuesday last, and fixed upon a large
barrow at the base of the Slingsby Banks as the one for
commencing upon on the following day, This tumulus was
fully 60ft in diameter, and at the time of opening about 81t

high. The surface aspect of the barrow suggested the pro •
bability of a previous disturbance, but as, on inquiry, it
was found that half a century ago this field was in tillage (the
old ridge and furrow still remaining) this unfavourable in-
dication was placed to the credit, or discredit of the plough.
During several years of exploration among the Brigautian
burials, and especially during the last few weeks upon the
Egton Moors (where most of the tumu i proved barren or
nearly so), Mr Greenwell has observed that the northern
side presented the most numerous traces of cremation, the
mode in use among the Britons for disposing of their dead.
According to this rule, excavations were commenced on
the north side, as nearly as possible to bo made out upon the
original surface of the ground. The first few feet of dig.

ging proclaimed the fact that the barrow was composed
chiefly of a yellowish clay—a remarkable discovery, inas-
much as the whole of the surrounding lands are merely loose
sand, and showing that the materials of the burial mound
had been transported from some distance. Owing to the
height of the tumulus, it was necessary to make a consider-
able excavation in order to reach the centre, the supposed
site cf the primary burial, the services of ecvcral men being
required, the digging being very hard and difficult. As the
work proceeded thick layers of ashes (::wrong which were
largo lumps of charcoal, yet perfect in shape and preserva-
tion, after probably 2,000 years' burial) wore found,

the sections showing a cue-hke formation, as if regularly
scattered over the mound as iorrued. Nothing of import-

ante was met with until nearly the centrj of the barrow had
been reached, wh€n five, or cis wrought flfuts, some showing
traces of fire, were found. Of these none wore clearly as •
signaLl3 to any distinct u,e, but the sharpness of the edge,,

and other characters plainly showed that some amount of
labour had boon expended upon them by the Brigantine
workmen. As progress was made, portions of what had
once been one large slab of sandstone were found, all show-

ing that they had been subjected to an intense heat, and
another large boulder, also fire marked, was sub-
sequently found, all being near the centre of the barrow.
Partly charred human bones also became more frequent.
Slightly to the east of the centre of the barrow f agments

of three distinct cinerary urns were found, only a little
below the surface. Two of these were of large size, and
had rude markings by way of ornament. A third was of
a red ware, resembling the Samian in colour, but coarser
and without the glaze. These urns had, mach to the regret
of antiquaries present, without doubt been previously dis-
turbed and broken; and as regards two of them, Mr Green-
well was of opinion one had been inclosed within the other.
But so far, although ashes and detached portions of bone
had been not infrequent, there was no sufficient " find" of
what might be regarded as the contents proper of the three
cinerary urns. The section of the tumulus, however, began
to show signs of a previous central excavation, although
it was clearly shown by the evidence of aged persons on
the estate that no opening of the graves had ever taken
place during this century. Probably a very long period has
elapsed since the disturbance took place. Eventually a
casual spadeful of earth from the top of the tumulus disin-
terred a large deposit of calcined human bones, and further

search showed that a slight hollow had been scooped out
just at the apex, which has been full of bones of a similar
nature. The inference was that by some remote searchers
after treasure the large stone forming the original seal of
the cemetery had been found and broken up, and that the
urns near the surface had been upturned and also broken,
their united contents being the unusual collection of bones
near the surface, which had been slightly reinterred by the
original explorers. There yet remained the hope that the
original burial over which the large tumulus had been raised
had not shared the fate of the secondary burials. As excava-
tions deepened, portions of another urn, also once of con-
siderable size, were found, those being considerably enriched
upon the rim by the chracteristic herring-bone marking, &c.
The deeper the search was continued the more apparent it
became that the tumulus had been opened from the top, as
at a great depth other pieces of pottery, bone, ashes, with a
flint or two, were found, all mixed up promiscuously. Even-
tually, at a depth of between 7 and Bft, about ono half of the
original cinerary urn was found, undisturbed in position,
embedded in ashes, bones, and clay. This too, had not
escaped the intruders, who had most surely been actuated by
no other motive than gain, and had left half of the urn un-
disturbed, after satisfying themselves of the nature of its

contents. This fifth urn was of a ruder typo than some o
the others, showing horizontal lines of indentation by way of
ornament, produced (when the clay was in a plastic state) by
the end of some instrument, the impressions being shallow
and all alike, As portions of charcoal kept turning up,
although the natural line of the ground had been passed, the
excavations wore continued downwards, and resulted in
the discovery of a somewhat ovalled hollow or dish in the
earth in which the primary urn and burial had been placed,
instead of upon the plane, as is usual. Among the ashes at
the very bottom, a very beautifully wrought " thumb flint"
was found of a type quite unusual, forming the most valu-
able find of the day. The centre of the tumulus was now
passed, and there was no necessity, in Mr Greenwald's
opinion, to continuo the excavations at so great a depth, as
the five burials found had all been in the centre, and expe-
rience had taught that any subsidiary interment would be
made on the south or cast slope. A lesser " breastwork"
was therefore taken forward, but that day nothing but ashes
and a single flint instrument was found. 6n the next day
the excavation was continued to the south without result;
but on turning to the south-east a sixth burial was found, of
which the urn was crushed, but was all there. The urn was
rude in make and badly baked, and probably inclosed a peek
measure's capacity of burnt bones. The burial was slightly
below the surface, but all the pieces of the urn were got
out and can be put together in the original form. The urn
is very triflingly ornamented, a few cord impressions only
being irregularly placed over the exterior. Singularly
enough, and as a departure from the yule, several pieces of
worked flint, much burnt, were turned out of the urn with
the bones. These, on being gathered together, make rip
into one flint instrument resembling a knife, this implement
f having doubtless split up many centuries ago by the intense
heat requisite for the cremation of the bodies. On Friday
the search was continued to the oast, and afterwards to the
west, without further success. This tumulus, however,
had proved singularly prolific in affording Brigantian re-
mains for special resurrection. This, unlike the rest in the
vicinity, had been raised upon the plane.; of the field, nu
natural etainenee having been taken advantage of in the
selection of a site.
On Ihuteay and on Friday attention was also devoted to