Then we op’d the next barrow to it, inclos’d in the same ditch, which
we suppos’d the husband or father of this lady. At fourteen inches
deep, the mould being mix’d with chalk, we came to the intire skeleton
of a man. The skull and all the bones exceedingly rotten and perish’d,
thro’ length of time. Tho’ this was a barrow of the latest sort, as we
conjecture. The body lay north and south, the head to the north, as
that Lord _Pembroke_ open’d.
Next, I went westward, to a group of barrows whence _Stonehenge_ bears
east north-east. Here is a large barrow ditch’d about, but of an
ancient make. On that side next _Stonehenge_ are ten lesser, small,
and as it were crouded together. South of the great one is another
barrow, larger than those of the group, but not equalling the first.
It would seem, that a man and his wife were bury’d in the two larger,
and that the rest were of their children or dependants. One of the
small ones, 20 cubits in diameter, I cut thro’, with a pit nine foot
in diameter, to the surface of the natural chalk, in the center of the
barrow; where was a little hole cut. A child’s body (as it seems) had
been burnt here, and cover’d up in that hole: but thro’ the length of
time consum’d. From three foot deep, we found much wood ashes soft
and black as ink, some little bits of an urn, and black and red earth
very rotten. Some small lumps of earth red as vermilion: some flints
burnt thro’. Toward the bottom a great quantity of ashes and burnt
bones. From this place I could count 128 barrows in sight. See a vast
multiplicity of ’em, TAB. XXXI.
Going from hence more southerly, there is a circular dish-like cavity
dug in the chalk, 60 cubits in diameter, like a barrow revers’d. ’Tis
near a great barrow, the least of the south-western group. ’Tis between
it, and what I call the bushbarrow, set with thorn-trees, TAB. XXXII.
This cavity is seven feet deep in the middle, extremely well turn’d,
and out of it, no doubt, the adjacent barrow is dug. The use of it
seems to have been a place for sacrificing and feasting in memory of
the dead, as was the ancient custom. ’Tis all overgrown with that
pretty shrub _erica vulgaris_, now in flower, and smelling like honey.
We made a large cross section in its center upon the cardinal points;
we found nothing but a bit of red earthen pot.
We dug up one of those I call Druid’s barrows, a small tump inclos’d
in a large circular ditch. I chose that next to bushbarrow, westward
of it. _Stonehenge_ bears hence north-east. We made a cross section
ten foot each way, three foot broad over its center, upon the cardinal
points. At length we found a squarish hole cut into the solid chalk,
in the center of the _tumulus_. It was three foot and a half, _i. e._
two cubits long, and near two foot broad, _i. e._ one cubit: pointing
to _Stonehenge_ directly. It was a cubit and half deep from the
surface. This was the _domus exilis Plutonia_ cover’d with artificial
earth, not above a foot thick from the surface. In this little grave we
found all the burnt bones of a man, but no signs of an urn. The bank
of the circular ditch is on the outside, and is 12 cubits broad. The
ditch is 6 cubits broad (the Druid’s staff) the area is 70 cubits in
diameter. The whole 100.
I open’d another of these of like dimensions, next to that Lord
_Pembroke_ first open’d, south of _Stonehenge_. We found a burnt body
in a hole in the chalk, as before. Mr. _Roger Gale_ was with me.
In some other barrows I open’d, were found large burnt bones of horses
and dogs, along with human. Also of other animals as seem’d; of fowl,
hares, boars, deer, goats, or the like. And in a great and very flat
old fashion’d barrow, west from _Stonehenge_, among such matters, I
found bits of red and blue marble, chippings of the stones of the
temple. So that probably the interr’d was one of the builders. _Homer_
tells us of _Achilles_ slaying horses and dogs, at the funeral of his
friend _Patroclus_.
Lord _Pembroke_ told me of a brass sword dug up in a barrow here,
which was sent to _Oxford_. In that very old barrow near little
_Ambersbury_, was found a very large brass weapon of 20 pounds
weight, like a pole-ax. Said to be given to col. _Wyndham_. In the
great long barrow farthest north from _Stonehenge_, which I call
north long barrow, and supposed to be an Archdruid’s, was found one
of those brass instruments call’d _celts_, which I hold to belong to
the Druids, wherewith they cut off the misletoe, as before mention’d.
Mr. _Stallard_ of _Ambersbury_ gave it to Lord _Burlington_, now
in Sir _Hans Sloane_’s cabinet: 13 inches long. They dug a cell in
a barrow east of _Ambersbury_, and it was inhabited for some time.
There they found all the bones of a horse. This is the sum of what
is most material, that fell within my observation, relating to the
barrows about _Stonehenge_. We find evidently, these ancient nations
had the custom of burning their dead bodies, probably before the name
of _Rome_. So lachrymatories we read of in scripture, ancienter than
_Greek_ or _Roman_ times, _Psalm_ lvi. 8.
• • • • •
TAB. XXXI. the barrows in _Lake-field_. This is as a church-yard,
the burial-place of some town, or large family. I mention’d before,
that the ditches observable here, are bounds of parishes, hundreds
or lordships. The countrymen sometime call this group, the prophets
barrows. Because the _French_ prophets 30 years ago, set up a standard
on the largest barrow, and preach’d to the enthusiastic multitude.
TAB. XXXIII. bush-barrow, a barrow planted by the shepherds. ’Tis south
of _Stonehenge_, and commands a pleasant prospect of the temple, the
_cursus_, the avenue, and of all the barrows around this plain. You see
the hills a little on this side _Abury_, whereon runs the _Wansdike_,
the boundary of the _Belgic_ kingdom.
TAB. XXXIV. the _tumulus_ of _Carvilius_ who fought _Julius Cæsar_.
’Tis on the other side of _Wilton_ (_Carvilium_) by Lord _Pembroke_’s
park: and planted with four trees, as one of the visto’s to the park.
TAB. XXXV. one of the temples at _Persepolis_ a patriarchal one,
open: but made after _Solomon_’s temple, square: with mouldings and
ornaments. I take it to be of the same age as _Stonehenge_.
[Illustration: TAB. XXIIII. _P. 46._
_The back Prospect of the beginning of the Avenue to Stonehenge. 6.
Aug. 1723._
_Stukeley delin._ _A. the beginning of the avenue. B. the old Kings
barrows. C. the 7 Kings barrows. D. Vespasians camp_.]