Grave-mounds and Their Contents: A Manual of Archæology, as Exemplified in the Burials of the Celtic, the Romano-British, and the Anglo-Saxon Periods

"Grave-mounds and Their Contents" by Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt is a manual of archaeology written in the late 19th century. The book explores the burial practices of the ancient Celtic, Romano-British, and Anglo-Saxon peoples, focusing on the significant insights provided by grave-mounds, their structures, and the artifacts found within them. It aims to offer a detailed understanding of the historical importance of these burial practices and their contents in informing us about early societies in Britain. The opening of the text sets a foundational overview of the significance of grave-mounds in understanding the arts, habits, and histories of past civilizations. Jewitt discusses how these mounds, known variably as barrows, tumps, or lows, serve as crucial links to knowledge about ancient cultures and their burial customs. He explains the various forms and typical locations of these mounds, emphasizing their burial practices, which include both inhumation and cremation, as well as describing the relics unearthed in these settings that illuminate the daily lives, beliefs, and skillsets of these early inhabitants.