comparative rarity of the bronze implements that have been discovered with
them, considered to belong to the earliest bronze period, that is, to the
time of the first Celtic invasions. Many of the objects in Mr Mitchelson's
museum are not labelled with the place of their origin, the manuscript
catalogue made some years ago having been lost; but with a few exceptions
the entire collection comes from barrows situated in the neighbourhood,
having been brought together by Mr Thomas Kendall more than fifty years
ago.

[Illustration: A COMPLETE SKELETON IN A STONE CIST BELONGING TO THE EARLY
BRONZE AGE.

It was discovered by a farmer in a field between Appleton-le-Moor and
Spaunton, and is now in the Museum at Pickering. [_Copyright reserved by
Dr J.L. Kirk._]
]

A complete skeleton in a stone cist is now lying in a glass case in the
museum. It was discovered accidentally by a farmer between
Appleton-le-Moor and Spaunton. He had decided to remove a huge stone that
had been an obstacle when ploughing, and in doing so found that he had
removed the top stone of a cist belonging to the early Bronze Age. The man
has a round or brachycephalic skull with the prominent brow-ridges and
powerful jaws of the Celtic people, and his right arm was arranged so that
the hand was beneath the skull. By his left hand was the food vessel that
is now placed on the left side of the skull, and at his feet are a number
of small bronze studs or rivets.

These Bronze Age men seem to have had a very general belief in the spirit
world, for the dead warrior was buried with his weapons as well as food,