Page:VCH Staffordshire 1.djvu/208

 A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE The barrow also contained a cist in which were three interments on different levels. A bronze dagger 3 in. in length was found with the remains of the burnt burial, which occupied a middle position between the lowest interment, which consisted of almost an entire skeleton, and the uppermost, which was the skeleton of a child. In still another part of the barrow, at a depth of about 2 ft. from the surface, was the skeleton of a child, laid on the left side, with the knees drawn up. An ornamented vase or urn, 5 in. in height, lay close by. In addition to the interments described traces of three or four other burials were noticed. It is obvious that the barrow must have been an important burial- place and that both Stone Age and Bronze Age folk buried their dead within it. 4. A barrow at Deepdale, 17 yds. in diameter and of small elevation, was found to contain a grave in which was a human skeleton, in a crouched posture, accompanied by a well-preserved bronze dagger provided with three rivets by which it had been fastened to a semi-lunar handle. 5. A barrow, called Mouse Low, situated between Deepdale and the village of Grindon, 14 yds. in diameter, and about 2 ft. high, upon being examined was found to contain the skeleton of a large man in contracted posture. Near the head was a peculiarly elegant and well-finished drinking cup, within which there were two implements cut from the ribs of a large animal, a spear head, and two beautiful barbed arrows of white flint. Out- side the cup were two more arrows of the same kind. 6. Small barrow, known as Green Low, at Castern. In this was found the skeleton of a child, with a flint arrow-point, and certain objects of later date, including a Roman fibula of bronze. 7. Musden Low, a barrow situated on Musden Hill, near Calton, originally 27 yds. in diameter, on examination was found to contain a skeleton completely embedded in rats' bones. Close by were found the remains of a burnt interment, the fire employed for which having partially blackened both the skeleton and the rats' bones. Calcined implements of flint, and pieces of urns, ranging apparently from the Celtic to the Romano- British period, were found in the barrow. 8. A tumulus called Thorncliff, situated on Calton Moor, about a mile from the village of Calton, contained the remains of a large skeleton ' accom- panied by a neat instrument of flint and a bronze dagger, with three rivets of the usual form.' 9. A second barrow at Musden Hill (see 7) upon being opened was found to contain a human skeleton with the head to the outside of the barrow. Above and around it were fragments of two globular narrow- necked urns, ornamented with a few projections upon the shoulders, which had contained burnt bones. The discoverers were inclined to assign this interment to the Anglo-Saxon period, but it seems just possible that the pottery found was Neolithic. 10. A barrow on Readon Hill, Ramshorn, was opened and found to contain about the centre two extended skeletons. They were accompanied by an iron spear and a narrow iron knife. These may have been Anglo- Saxon interments. 1 1 . A barrow at Dale, near Stanton, on being opened was found to contain two skeletons lying on the original surface of the earth. These presented 172