Charles Phillips's explanation of the whetstone as a "sceptre" (pp. 163–5) (while it is being excavated) is anachronistic because, although that idea did occur early, it was not closely argued until many years later. Also, some descriptions of the removal of artefacts in the chamber do not tally with the evidence of photographs taken during the excavations: the whetstone was half upright, and was left semi-exposed for some time, not as described on pages 163–5: and the purse lid was carefully cleaned down among the other gold items in the surrounding assemblage, and their relationships elucidated by the Piggotts, not "prised out" as described on pages 150–51. Another anomaly in the novel is that Peggy and Stuart Piggott are said to interrupt their honeymoon for the dig (pp. 121–125; 201): in fact they had been married since November 1936.