Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/372

 228 SEPULCHRAL DEPOSIT IN HOLYHEAD ISLAND. are about 30 feet only in circumference. It had apparently been much lowered at some period, and a rude enclosure- wall had once been formed adjoining to it, or partly traversing it, by which the shape of the little tumulus had been changed. At this spot the tenant was removing a stone of some size, which seemed suitable for his purpose, and on this being displaced, an earthen urn, described as resembling a beehive, was discovered beneath, which mostly crumbled to pieces. A few fragments only were preserved, of which the most considerable is here represented. (See woodcut.) It is of a very coarse, light brown ware, formed by the hand without the lathe ; the in- terior, near the mouth, as well as the exterior, ornamented with zigzag scor- ings. In general character, it appears not dissimilar to cinerary urns found in Wiltshire and other parts of England. It is probable that this large urn, which had been placed in an inverted position, had become decayed by moisture and proximity to the sur- face, the interment being less than 2 feet beneath the sward. It has been supposed that the urn was open, or originally broken, at the side uppermost in its actual position ; and that the opening had been closed by the flat stone, which first led to the discovery. It may seem more pi'obable, however, that the urn had been placed entire, with the mouth downwards ; the bottom, thus inverted, being protected by a flat stone, laid over it when the mound was raised. This part, placed nearest to the surface, had become decayed, and crumbled away through the moisture and superincumbent weight. On scai-ching further, a small urn of unusual form and fabricated with considerable skill, was found, placed within the larger urn. Both contained ashes, fragments of burned bones and sand, of which some part had probably fallen into the cavity when the top stone was removed. The smaller urn was placed in the centre, upon a flat stone, and the exterior urn had been carefully protected all around by a little wall of pieces of shingle, set edgeways, about 6 or 8 inches in height, and serving to protect the deposit from the weight of the surrounding soil. The mouth of the urn, indeed, was so firmly fixetl and embedded in this manner,