Two burial mounds on Porth Island were excavated in 1872 by William Copeland Borlase. One contained brown mould and a skull; the other contained a skeleton and a small beautifully, perforated axe head containing felspar & quartz. The skeleton was replaced. Other finds on the island included coins, glass beads, rings, ceramics, and spindle whorls (small stone discs with a central hole, used for wool spinning). Remains of Iron age houses were also found which suggest that the Island was occupied between 250 – 200 B.C.
