PREHISTORIC INTERMENT NEAR WALTON-ON-NAZE. 207
the right shoulder and arm. He was undoubtedly right-handed.
I have never seen such a specialization of the right shoulder
joint. Whatever trade he followed was one which entailed a
constant rotation at the right shoulder, a twisting out of the
whole arm such as one employs in using a cork-screw, or a cobbler
stitching. Could he have been a weaver ? At least he looks
more like a weaver than a burly soldier. I find that a specializa-
tion of the bones of the right arm is frequently seen in
prehistoric skeletons.
" His hands and feet are small, his fit in gloves would be about
5§, ladies' size. In hats a No. 5 would suit his small but well-
formed head.
" The skeleton deserves a fuller description. I hope you will
join with me in preserving him in the records of the Royal
Anthropological Institute at some future date. I might then
enter into his relationship with other prehistoric finds.
" I agree with you that the bones are passing into an earthy
or semi-fossilized state."
NOTE ON THE METHOD ADOPTED FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF THE BONES.
When the skeleton was found the bones were saturated with salt water.
The first process necessary was to soak them in changes of fresh water to
remove the salt, and thus prevent future trouble from its efflorescence.
Unfortunately the softer parts of the bones proved to be in a much more
advanced state of decay than at first appeared. After the soaking had
proceeded for two days, all the softer parts of the bones were found to be
in an extremely soft and spongy state, and they threatened to crumble
away to a very serious degree. I had intended to continue the soaking
longer than this, to ensure removal of the salt, but as they were giving way
so much it seemed the lesser risk to allow them to dry slowly, and then
harden them as quickly as possible. In view of the possibility of future
trouble from the efflorescence of salt, should this not have been thoroughly
removed, I thought it better to use Browning's Preservative Solution
(which is sold by the Indestructible Paint Company) rather than gelatin.
This is used cold, after the specimens have become dry. It is a very thin
fluid, is readily absorbed into the substance of the object, and unlike
gelatin it is, I believe, quite unaffected by water. So far as one can judge
at present, the result has been everything that could be desired. The
preservative solution has apparently restored the remains almost to the
toughness of fresh bone. It was not, however, sufficiently filling for the
bad places in the softer parts of the bones, where they had already begun
to break away. For this some weak glue was used.
Some of the limb bones have thin superficial mineral incrustations
upon them, which look as if they were of a pyritous nature. While
this is to a certain degree useful in giving an additional proof of the genuine