90 Further Researches in a the waist the bronze tag of a girdle ; on the right breast a large fibula, of a pattern much resembling that found at Fairford ; ' on the shoulders two flat plated circular fibula;. A knife on the breast, and near the hand a single amber bead. No. 52. Grave of a woman. Head to the west ; the femur measuring 16 inches ; the right hand on the body, the left by the side. No relique. No. 53. Grave of a young woman. The head to the west ; the knees bent to the left, but the head upright ; by the right hand a knife. In this grave an unusual number of fragments of Roman as well as of Saxon pottery were discovered. No. 51. Grave of a woman of advanced age, 2 feet deep. The right knee bent ; the left arm by the side, the right bent with the hand open above the right shoulder. No relique. The contents of a mortuary urn were found here, and in the next trench were discovered the remains of a bone comb, an iron knife, and an iron girdle-hanger ; and in the loose soil two brass coins of Victorinus, with some fragments of Roman pottery, one of them remarkable for its ornamentation. The bones of animals and some oyster shells were also found in a deep pit, mingled with ashes, affording strong presumptive evidence of the occupation of this site by the previous conquerors of Britain. lu reviewing the foregoing details a few remarks are suggested. It will be seen that ou this occasion three swords were discovered. 11 That in grave No. 15 is a plain massive weapon, 35 inches long from the pommel to the point, and 2 inches broad at the fort. The weapon found in grave No. 31 is of a superior de- scription, and measures from the pommel to the end of the chape 37$ inches, and is only '2% inches broad at the fort. The chape is of bronze, inlaid with zoomorphic figures in gold, and is altogether a novelty among reliques of this period. The weapon found in grave No. 15 closely resembles that discovered at Fairford, and may possibly be an example of the more primitive weapon. The sword from grave -it, although of plain form, and without a chape, resembles the more costly example from grave 31. The finding of such weapons in this proportion strongly favours the conjecture that this cemetery contained the remains of the individual from whom the village derives its name, d his kindred, dependants, and bread-eaters. It has been supposed that, as the swords of these people were made of finely tempered steel, but few of them have been preserved in their graves; but this is at variance with the experience of all who have been engaged in such researches; and Fairford Graves, pi. ii. Remains of Pagan Saxondom, pi. vii. b A sword was found when a gravel-pit was opened here about twenty years ago. ' Fairford Graves, pi. x. fig. 1. Archawlogia, Vol. XXXVTL p. 392.
