40

PRE-HISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY OF EAST DEVOX. tially buried in this deposit there Ia>' a Avell patiiiated celt of the socketed type, in pei-fect preservation. It lay upon its side, with the cutting edge inclining upwards, and turned towards the centre of the niuund. (Fig. 1.) Its extreme length is 3 in. the width of the cutting edge is Ij in., and the diameter of the socket, which is nearly circular, is about 1 in.; it has a small car or loop upon one side, and both e.xternally and internally preserves the ridge or seam left at the joint of the mould at the time that it was cast. ^Vith the exception of a narrow band of slight elevation which encircles the weapon in a plane coincident with the anterior end of the loop, it is destitute of any attempt at ornamenta- tion. The sides appear to have been hammered, and the cutting edge presents evident signs of wear, especially to- wards the extremity of the side opposite to that on which the loop is placed. The same is also the case with another celt of similar type obtained at lloniton, and supposed to liave been originally brought from Lovehayne, near Broad Down.* Fi^. 1.— Bronro BockcUil cilt, fiiiind in ii kiHt-vacii, in u 1)juti)v on lirond I'.iwii, in'nr lli>n)t<in. Ix'MKlli,:i^ in. Al>)crt .Mcmoriiil Miiwcuin, Exotcr. This fact appears not unwnrthy of noiii-c wlnii we attempt to explain the precise mode of mounting these cuiinus inijtle- mcnts, for, if they were fastened to a woodni handle by means of a thong which was also attacheil to llii' l(toj) (as is Kuppo.sed to have been the case), would not llic upper poi- tion of the cutting edge have shown more maila'il .signs vi' Wear ' i have dwelt at some length ujion tli(; fact of the discovery of this celt, both ])ecause it is the fust of its kiiid that has been foinid in the barrows of Kast Devon, and also Ijecause the fact of its burial with its owner allbrds a glimpse of the mental inul uioimI feeling which actuatrd the sur- ' Figiittsl ill lliin JiiiirnAl, vol. xxvi p. 'M',i.