(
i?
DESCRIPTIONS OP CRANIA.
loose natm-e, rendered it very difficult to penetrate to the undistubed ground, and thus to reach
the primary interment. Mr. Bateman, however, both on this occasion and another ra the month
of August in the same year, ia which he was equally foiled (Vestiges, p. 46), was clearly of
opinion that such an interment existed, and was attainable by more laborious research.
It was onlv ill a third attempt, on the 13th of July, 1848, after a great deal of labour, that
he was successful in exposing the remains of the primai-y occupant, over whose bones this
vast cairn had been raised. On this occasion these were at length discovered, deposited in
a cist in the rook, cut to the depth of six feet fi-om the natural surface of the ground, and lying
more than ten feet from the summit of theBai-row. To qiiote from Mr. Bateman's MS. Journal,
free access to which, with great kindness and liberality, has been allowed the wi'iter :—" The
skeleton was that of a finely proportioned man, rather above the middle size, and was, with the
exception of the head, in good condition. The bones lay without much regularity, but this was
attributable to the settling of the stones, amongst which they had been placed. Near the body was
a large bronze dagger, and a spear-head ot flint, incUoating the interment to have been made in
the earliest metaUic period. The cist or grave was bounded on three sides by natm-al rook, and
the fom-th was carefully walled up to a level with the others, with loose limestone."
The rude spear-head is about two and a half inches long, and an inch across the widest part.
It presents the opaque milky-white colour of incineration, so common among the Barrow flints.
Of the fine blade of the Bronze Dagger the subjoined woodcut is a representation. It is a little
more than six inches in length, probably almost quite as long as when made, is now entirely
covered with bright green verdigris, retains the three bronze rivets by which the perishable haft
was attached, and presents the usual semilunar termination of the hilt, towards the blade.
Bronze Blade of Dagger from Snd Lowe.—6i inches long.
The great labour and pains expended in the construction of this sepulchre, both in the excavation
of the rock to such an unusual' depth, and the elevation of so lofty a cairn of stones above
the natural level of the soil, point to the importance of the individual whose bones have thus
rested so long securely below. There is no reason to doubt that the tumulus marks the bm-ialplace
of a chief, or of a distinguished warrior of his tribe. The interesting occurrence of both
founded with that of the common Rat. The whole matter
indeed seems to be explained by the fact, that the Rodentia
generally, as the Rabbit, the Squirrel, and others, apparently
for mere exercise or amusement, but it may be to wear down
their ever-growing incisors, constantly keep these scalpriform
13.
teeth at work gnawing any tractable substance within reach,
especially wood, for which a bone seared witli antiquitous age
is not a bad substitute, .ind this, therefore, is not inconsistent
with the ascertained herbivorous habits of the Water-vole.
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ANCIENT BRITISH—END LOWE, DERBYSHIRE.
stone and metallic weapons in tliis interment determines it to belong to the " bronze period,"
probably towards its commencement—therefore subsequent to the time at wMch Phoenician
merchants first visited the Britannic Isles, and metaUic arms had penetrated to this remote
district of the interior.
The left side of this fine cranium, which was in contact with the rook, has enth-ely perished,
but, except in the absence of the nasal bone, so as not to preclude our artist from deUneatiag a
perfect profile lithograph. It is the skull of a man probably approacliing to forty years of age.
The bones are of moderate thickness, but dense and heavy. The face has been narrow ; the
zygomatic arches do not project much from the sides of the head ; the prominence of the upper
alveoli produces a shghtly prognathous character ; and the depression in the superior maxUlary
is considerable. It is a well-formed head,—the outline of the profile being regular and good,—
and presents very clearly the conformation of the true ancient British cranium, of which it may
be regarded as belonging to the typical series. The teeth of the preserved side are all in situ,
and have then- enamel beautifully perfect and white, although their crowns have been considerably
worn. It is remarkable how the cause of posthumous dépérissement, whether moistm-e, or
whatever it may have been, has operated on the teeth towards the perished side. In some cases
it has acted through the solid body and fangs, one-half of which is gone and the other remains
uninjured, whilst the harder enamel retains its perfect form. The lower jaw is rather large, of
good width, and its ascending branch upright,—a spine projects above a quarter of an inch on the
inside in the situation of the symphysis. The malar bone is lateral, or presents a considerable
surface to the side. The arch of the palate is lofty. A smaU par-occipital process is present on
the left side. The foramen magnum, 1-6 inch in length, is of a regular ovoid form. The
digastric groove, inside the mastoid, is deep. The semicircular ridge, marking the insertion of
the fascia of the temporal muscle, encloses a large space, yet not so large as in the skuU from
BaUidon Moor, and, especially, as in that from Parsley Hay. (Plates 1,2.) The coronal suture, at
the point at which it crosses this Hne, is much marked by long indentations ; a slight peculiarity
by which, we believe, this skull maies an approach to those of African races—Guanche, Negro,
if not Egyptian. It is of good form, having the vault of the calvarium equable, but it is not
large. Erom its imperfect state we are unable to make all our usual measurements, which for
purposes of comparison is unfortunate.
• i f f
MEASUREMENTS.
Longitudinal diameter . . 7'2 inches. Occipital Region.-—Length . 4-8 inches.
Erontal Region.—Length • „ Breadth . • ?5-2 „
Height . . 4-5 „ Height . • 3-9 „
Parietal Region.—Length . 4-8 „ Eace.—Length . • 5-4 „
Height . . 4-8 „ Breadth • ?5-2 „
Length of the Eemur 18-8 inches.
i r . |
A considerable interest attaches to this cranium, extracted from the deep cist under the
great cairn of End Lowe. It belongs distinctly to the " bronze period," and it is doubtful
13- (3) t :