15
The Tumuli of this age are circular and smaller than those
of the Neolithic period ; the dead were more often burnt and it is
probable that fire played a great part in the funeral rites.
When simply buried the body was crouched as in the stone-
age, and often accompanied by a pottery vessel (which had
contained food) a bronze dagger or knife and other objects.
The pottery though still hand-made is of a finer quality and
ornamented with geometrical patterns. (Fig. 11). The bronze
implements found in the barrows are of the early type,
large hoards of the later types have been found which had
evidently been intended for the. melting pot. As in the
Fig. 18. Bored Hammer Stone found at Epping Upland.
(From the Essex Naturalist, vol. viii., p. 164).
later Stone-age, the Celt continued to be the principle im-
plement, and its changes of form mark the development of the
period. In its earliest stages it resembles its stone prototype
from which it was at first moulded, and was a simple wedge-
shaped axe, which was fastened into a wooden handle. In the
next stage it was inserted in a cleft bent handle, side flanges
were made to fasten the implement more securely and a stop-
ridge was developed to prevent it from being driven too far into
the handle. The flanges or wings at last become joined and the
final result was the Socketed-celt A small loop was commonly
made on the side of winged and socketed celts, by which they
were tied to the handle to prevent them flying off while in
use. It is remarkable that although stone-hammers of this
period were pierced to receive a handle, this method was not
adopted for the bronze implements. Besides celts, many other
implements were made, such as :—knives, daggers, saws, reap-