Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/491

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

USED BY A ROMAN OCULIST OK EMPIKIC. 357 Ireland. He proposes, however, the explanation — Dianas us ad vulnera et cicatrices ; the contracted words are nearly identical with those upon Dr. Dowslcj's stamp, ad vet ci. (The tw^o first, as also the fourth and fifth letters, are con- joined.) The same remedy, possibly, is indicated by one of four inscriptions on another of these stamps, found in 1731, in the Abbey Yard, Bath, wdiich reads thus, — t. ivniax. d . . . VM AD VETERES CICATRICES. The three characters followino- the D are of singular form, and not readily to be (lec3^phered. Impressions of these inscriptions, as also from two other similar relics, are preserved in the museum of the Society of Antiquaries, as described in the printed catalogue, p. 12. Amongst them may be noticed the stamio of hone-stone, or whet-slate, found in 1 8 1 8, near the Leauses garden, at Ciren- cester, and now in the possession of P. B. Purnell, Esq. It may claim especial mention as having been discovered deposited in a fictile urn ; and also as bearing the Christian symbol of an X traversed by a cross, traced on one extremity of the stone, A detailed account of this curious object has been recently given in the valuable work on Corinium, produced by Professor Buckman and Mr. Newmarch. By their kind- ness I am enabled to submit a representation to the reader : — 'rvTI N EKVA LISDEALE^ f^^ ANVM ADirNpT^P EVoJ 'MINERVA LIS ME4_ I MV ^DOM rE MDOLO 1^M Oculist's Stamp found at Cirencester. Orig. size. It may be acceptable to the antiquary to enumerate various "oculists' stamps," hitherto found or noticed in England. Dr. Chishull, in a Numismatic Dissertation (a}>pended to Antiqu. Asiat. Lend., 1728), described one found at Col- chester. This notice had been also given in the " Tesoro Britannico," 1719, by Haym, to whom it was addressed. In Gough's memoir, in which the " Tesoro " apparently is cited, this relic, possibly by an accidental inadvertence, is described as discovered at Gloucester.'* It bears two legends, with the "• Mr. C. Roach Smith (Journal Art-h- without giving any authority ; the notion £eol. Assoc, vol. iv. p. 280) is disposed to possibly originated with Gough. The assign this discovery to Gloucester, but statement as recorded by Dr. Chishull