Plural of cist; stone burial boxes or chests used in ancient times, or the boxes themselves.
From Gaelic and Welsh languages, related to Latin cista meaning 'chest' or 'box.' These boxes were characteristic of Bronze Age and Iron Age burials in Britain and Ireland.
Bronze Age families literally put their dead in stone boxes and buried them—archaeologists love cists because they're like time capsules that preserve everything inside, including bones, pottery, and priceless clues about ancient lives.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.