. The arts in early England. which these variousobjects are found are of the same importance as the relativelocations of the bodies themselves in the cemetery, and scien-tific explorers should be careful in both cases to give therequisite information. These indications of position will benoticed in what follows in connection with the separate itemsof tomb furniture presently to be discussed, but it should beborne in mind that the actual position in the grave of anobject at the moment of discovery is not always a secureindication of its original place. Accidental shiftings due tovarious causes
. The arts in early England. which these variousobjects are found are of the same importance as the relativelocations of the bodies themselves in the cemetery, and scien-tific explorers should be careful in both cases to give therequisite information. These indications of position will benoticed in what follows in connection with the separate itemsof tomb furniture presently to be discussed, but it should beborne in mind that the actual position in the grave of anobject at the moment of discovery is not always a secureindication of its original place. Accidental shiftings due tovarious causes have not seldom taken place. For example atBarrington, Cambs, it was reported that the following objectswere found c all together under the head of a skeleton:—acruciform fibula—normally found at the shoulder or on thebody, two pairs of clasps—used generally for wrist fastenings,and a necklet of Here it will be sufficient to illustrate 1 Cambridge Antiquarian Societys Communications, x, 437. XVIII facing p. 177. EXTERNAL MARKS OF GRAVES 177 the relation of tomb furniture to the skeleton by the photo-graphs reproduced on PL xvm, of which No. 3 shows a bodyof a female equipped with abundant belongings that was foundat Stapenhill near Burton-on-Trent. Many of the objects areclearly visible as they occupy their original positions amongthe bones to which the corpse has been reduced. No. 1 is thereproduction of a drawing of a skeleton found at Sheppertonin Middlesex. The shield boss here lies over the face, thesword is held in both hands over the front of the body and thespear lies by the side. No. 2 has been noticed above (p. 150).With regard to the condition of preservation of the bones andrelics there are great differences the reasons for which havenever been made the subject of scientific inquiry. The skeletonoften remains pretty well entire, but there are cases in whichwe are told that every trace of it had disappeared except theenamel crowns of the teeth ! In the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksub, booksubjectarchitecture
