Fig. C.—An elegant armlet of similar fashion, but the wires, with the exception of the terminal loops, are twisted. Weight, 6 dwt. 3 gr. The peculiar fashion of these ornaments is correctly shown in the annexed woodcuts: as far as we are aware, they are new types in England. There is a striking resemblance in general fashion and in the looped extremities between these armillæ and the ordinary gold bracelets (asáwir) worn by the Egyptian women at the present time; in these, however, the wires are intertwined into one strand, and the loops are recurved. (See Lane's Modern Egypt, vol. ii., p. 361.)—Two portions of a torc (not figured). Weight, 2 oz. 6 dwt. 8 gr. They are of the usual fashion, with plain extremities recurved, and dilated towards their blunted ends, as shown in Mr. Birch's Memoir on the torc of the Celts (Archaeol. Journ., vol. ii., p. 379). A similar fragment, discovered, in 1844, on one of the hills adjoining to the Vale of Pewsey, was exhibited by the Earl of Ilchester in the Museum formed during the Meeting of the Institute at Salisbury.[1]
Fig, D.—Fragments of a remarkable ornament of gold, the use of which, in its present imperfect state, it is difficult to conceive. They consist of pieces of a tube of gold, now slightly curved, and having, at intervals, hollow beads of gold attached to one side (see woodcuts). The weight of the tubes and beads, with four similar beads, not attached to the tubes, is 6 dwt. 13 gr. Also some solid portions of wire, ornamented at intervals, as if beads of similar form to those already mentioned (double truncated cones) were strung upon them. Weight of these fragments, 12 dwt. 18 gr.[2] A number of gold beads, precisely similar in form and average size, strung upon a bar of metal, were found in a cairn on Chesterhope Common, in the manor of Ridsdale, in 1814. They were presented to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, in the following year, by the late Duke of Northumberland.[3] His Grace stated that he had seen some similar beads of gold, placed loosely on a bar, forming the guard at the back of the handle of a sword, stated to be of the Saxon period, which had been exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries of London, some years previously. This description appears to indicate an object in some degree analogous to that now represented. Metal beads, of precisely similar form, found in Prussian Saxony, are figured by Kruse, in his "German Antiquities."[4]
The curious ornaments exhibited by Lord Digby, were found about eighteen inches beneath the surface, in digging drains in pasture land. Nothing else had been discovered near the spot, within a mile of which, in the parish of Lillington, several skeletons were found, laid side by side, one of them of extraordinary dimensions, about ten years since. Bones are often ploughed up there, and there is a tradition of battles fought near the place, of which the actual names of fields,—Redlands, Manslayers, &c.,—are in some degree confirmatory.
Mr. Charles Long communicated a Notice of the investigation of a British tumulus in Berkshire, directed by Mr. Henry Long and himself some years since, and he produced a portion of a diminutive vase, found with the interment, and of the class termed, by Sir Richard C. Hoare, "incense
- ↑ On the subject of Torc-ornaments, see Archaeological Journal, vol. ii. p. 368; vol. iii. p. 27; Archæologia, vol. xxvii. p. 1.
- ↑ The weight of the entire collection sent by Lord Digby was 6 oz. 17 dwt. 8 gr.
- ↑ Archæologia Æliana, vol. i. p. i.
- ↑ Deutsche Alterth. Halle, 1824. Compare Wagener, Handbuch, pl. 110, No. 1103, Klemm, Handbuch, pl. 11, gives a curious ring or collar, having a row of globules, apparently not perforated, affixed along one side, which may serve to illustrate the peculiar object above described.
