ROMANO-BRITISH DERBYSHIRE Another bit, found, I believe, during the construction of the Great Northern Railway, is a fragment of a coarse buff-coloured pelvis or mortar, which bears an irregular cartouche, and in it, moulded by hand and chocolate-coloured, the letters VIVIVI3 (the last letter dubious), perhaps the imitation of a potter's mark with no real meaning, rather than a real potter's mark itself (fig. 26 [2]). 1 Glass also, two or three fibulas (one with red enamel) and other bits of bronze including ' the boss of a shield ' ( ?), an amphora handle stamped VI RG and many minor objects have been recorded. 2 FIG. 26. OBJECTS FROM LITTLE CHESTER, SKETCHED BY MR. WARD. Only one piece of stone demands notice. This is a rude bas- relief, some 20 inches high, showing a nude male figure with a rude representation of rays over his head and an object like a caduceus hanging from his left hand. 8 It has been usually interpreted as Mercury, and indeed rude figures of this god occur commonly outside Roman forts (fig. 26 [i]). Lastly, there is great plenty of coins. The list of those found in or near the 'station' includes one coin of A.D. 14, one of Nero, several of Vespasian and Domitian, many of the second century, especially of Pius and Marcus, a few specimens of the period A.D. 180-230, but many of the succeeding century, especially of Carausius and the Constantinian 1 Reliquary, iii. (1889), 69 ; Derb. Arch. Journ. xi. 86, plate vi. 2 Derb. Arch. Journ. x. 161, xi. 92 ; Reliquary, iii. 73. 8 Reliquary, iii. 65; Derb. Arch. Journ. xi. 90, xii. 171 ; Keys, Old Derby, p. 8. Now in the Derby Museum. It was found originally near the river. 219
