Page:Cornwall (Salmon).djvu/52

 CORNWALL Rillaton, and a small celt found some years ago, all of which were composed of pure gold. The ingot of tin found in Falmouth Harbour, which is also probably of the Bronze Age, or a little later, has already been described in the section on Mining. Sepuk/iral Mounds or Barrotvs. — Cornwall possesses a large number of sepulchral mounds, cairns, etc., which may perhaps in most cases be referred to the Neolithic Age or the Bronze Age. The late Mr. W. C. Borlase, F.S.A., who examined upwards of 200 Cornish barrows and communicated the result of his investigations to the Society of Antiquaries of London,^ points out that these memorials are specially abundant for about 6 or 7 miles along the coast-line of the extremity of Western Cornwall. In ancient times every promontory on this coast was crowned by a conical tomb, consisting of a basement of large stones set on edge, containing and supporting a heap of smaller stones, generally covering a chamber within. Each natural granite boss was sur- mounted by its group of these little burying- places. Some of these barrows are about 1 8 or 20 feet across, and upon being excavated several more or less broken sepulchral urns have been found within them. There are upon the highest of the hills and the more prominent portions of the cliffs in the district several barrows of much larger size. In '^ Archceologia, xlix., 181-198. 34