The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-07 00:00:00

The Yorkshire Wold Tumuli.

A month's diggings in the British barrows in the
chalk districts of Yorkshire, undertaken for scien-

tific purposes by the Rev. W. Greenwell, of Dur-

ham, was brought to a conclusion on Saturday
evening. During the month about 20 barrows of
ail sizes, but all of the round form, have been
opened- and their structure and contents most
carefully investigated and recorded. These bones
have been chiefly on the estates of Lord Londes-

borough and Sir Tatton Sykes, and the openings
have been made on the North Vold range at
Sherburn and Ganton, on the South Vold range at
Enthorpe, and on the Mid-Vold range of Weaver-
thorpe and Helperthorpe. Thus the sepulchral
mounds of the pre-Roman races of both types of
crania and of both methods of burial—cremation and

inhumation—have been met with. The greater part
of the examinations have been made in the graves of
a non-metal using people. The only trace of metal
found has been of bronze, and this was on the Hel-
perthorpe Wold (mid range), on Thursday last,
when one of the skeletons in a barrow which proved
very prolific was found interred with his right hand
holding his bronze spear head—a very beautiful and
valuable example of an ancient weapon. Apart from
this, all implements found have been of stone
—flint, quartz, or porphyry. Evidences of grave
feasting, further substantiating the charge of canni-
balism against the pre-historic people, have been
found, and generally results of an important and
highly interesting nature have been arrived at. The
investigations have caused remarkable interest
among archaeologists; and among the gentlemen in-
terested in antiquarian matters who have accompa-
nied and assisted the Rev. Canon Greenwell are Sir
Tatton Sykes, Sir J. Lubbock, Mr. J. Evans (author
oflpaperson" British Coins" and the "Drift Flints"),
of Hemel-Hempstead; the Rev. F. Porter, of Yed-
ingham ; thy' Rev. J. Mason, of Sherburn ; Mr. W.
Lovel, Helperthorpe; Mr. Southwell, Winchester,
Illinois, United States; Mr. Pycock, Malton; Messrs.
J. R. and R. Mortimer, Fimber ; Mr. Monkman,
Malton ; Mr. E. F. Cobb, London; Mr. T. Brand,
Lutton; Mr. J. W. Barnes, Durham; and several
other gentlemen and lady visitors.
The concluding openings of the week, in continua-
tion of those of the previous three weeks, as re-
ported in 7he Sun, are as follows :—The first barrow
investigated was of 20 yards diameter, and 4ft. high,
made of soil, mixed with chalk, and situate upon the
Mid-Woldrange south of Weaverthorpe. Four yards
south-east of the centre a large plain urn was found
among soft, unctuous, black earth, containing much
charcoal and a great number of flint flakes, among
which was a long flint scraper and some animalbones.
The dark matter extended over the surface for a
space of 4ft. diameter, and varied from 2in. to Gin. in
thickness. Just south-south-west of the centre the
occipital part of a human skull of a young person
was found, and close to it a pelvic bone, femur and
other leg bones ; and at the opposite side the greater
part of a dolichocephalic skull of a female, placed
with the head to the west. This mixture of dis-
jointed bones lay on the surface. With the bones

of the female was a large rolled quartz pebble, show-
ing much sign of use as a hammer or pounder—a fine
specimen. In the centre, and just north-east of these
disjointed bones, was a body laid on the left side,
with head to the east, the body doubled up, the right
hand on the lower part of the chest, the left on the
right elbow. Behind the head was an ornate drink-
ing cup. Before the face—in fact, close to the nose
—was the nasal bone of another skull—of which the
frontal portion was found 2if t. above, and which seems
to have belonged to the same skull of which the occi-
pital part was found. But why this strange disturb-
ance ? There was nothing to guide to a satisfactory
answer. Between the previously named black de-
posit and the centre of the bone was another and
smaller and thinner deposit of dark matter, the
result of great burnings probably, also containing
many flint chippings and flakes. Among the mate-
rial of the hone, casually thrown in during forma-
tion, were a small thumb-flint, some flint flakes and
chippings, and several animal bones, split longitu-
dinally for obtaining marrow.
Two days following were spent on the same range
but on the llelperthorpe Wold, about a mile to the
west, in examining an irregularly shaped mound
about 15 yards mean diameter and 3ft. high, appa-
rently the westernmost of two barrows. About 20
years ago a great quantity of soil was removed from
this mound, during which work the remains of
several bodies were met with and destroyed. Among
the materials of the mound remaining were
found animal bones, two pieces of British pot-
tery, a jet button, and two large jet orna-
ments (part of a necklace), rectangular, lin. by
and about :eh of an inch thick, longitu-
tudinally pierced by four holes for stringing, and
ornamented in saltire pattern of punctured holes.
In the centre of the mound was a large cist sunk
into the solid chalk rock, funnel-shaped, narrow-
ing gradually downwards. The upper diameter was
loft., the lower sft. by 3ft., the hole 7ift. below the
natural surface. In the chalk rubble filling it were
several animal bones, some charcoal, and a few hu-
man bones, all detached, but there was no syste-
matic burial. This was a most puzzling cist, parti-
cularly as the ground showed no signs of previous
disturbance since the cist had been first filled up.
On the same range, but one mile to the north, on
an opposite slope, the third barrow was opened—
a most prolific burying ground. This houe was
greatly ploughed down ; so much so, indeed, that it
occasionad the greatest surprise to the archaeologists
to find the remains so little disturbed by the plough.
The mound was 54ft. diameter by lift. high, and
formed of the ordinary `Vold soil. The several in-
terments in this very rich barrow were arranged in a
line running north-west and south-east, and with
the exception of the most central were all on the
natural surface. Eighteen feet east-south-east of the
centre a body, or possibly some bodies, had been
burnt on the spot, the signs of intenseburningbeing
found over a large surface, and the mass being as
hard as concrete, showing fused flint, lime, charcoal,
and burnt humanbones, forming abreccia only sepa-
rable by forcible use of the pick-axe. Except in its
uniform hardness this material resembled the sup-
posed adipose contents of the long barrow on IVil-
lerby-wold, which analysis showed to be burnt flint
only, with a slight trace of animal matter. Thirteen
feet east-south-east of the centre was a body in a
contracted position, laid on the left side, the knees
of which very nearly touched the mass of burning.
This body was perfect in every way. The bead lay
to the north-west, the left hand was up to the
tface,
the right hand was on the fore-arm l
of the left.
the crown of the bead were a short bone pin and a
rounded quartz pebble, and there was much charcoal
around and beneath the skull. The detached femur
of a young person was laid across theskull,andnear
the face, in front of the body and about the pelvis,
various parts of burnt human bone. Seven feet
first
east-south-east of the centre (probably at
the
original centre) was the broken-up body of a child,
the bones deposited about 6in. above the surface,
and most strangely in disorder. The skull had first