A HISTORY OF SUSSEX was in fact a collection of prehistoric gold ornaments, comprising a fine example of a torques with the familiar trumpet-shaped ends, a number of penannular rings, and an armlet of flinted work with lines of punctured dots in the hollows. It may be that there were other articles found, but it is hardly likely that more information will now be obtained upon the point, because with the exception of three fragments the whole of the gold ornaments found were melted down. It seems pretty clear that the ploughs have in passing through the soil encountered the deposit of gold ornaments, tearing the torques from its hiding-place, and straightening it in the process. The penannular rings were apparently ring money of similar character to those found at Streatham, near Ely, in 1850. In Horsfield's Antiquities of Leives there is figured an object which is evidently a bronze harness ring. Horsfield de- scribes it as 'a green porce- lain pendant amulet,' but the form is much like that of the bronze horse-trap- pings, often enriched with enamel, which have been found at many difi^erent parts of the country, and which indeed may be regarded as among the characteristic anti- quities of the Late Celtic period. Another good ex- ^ ,, , . ample of a Late Celtic har- Late Celtic Harness Ring from Alfriston. ■' . . , ,,. . ness rmg with enamelling in colour on the bronze of which it is composed was found at Alfriston, and is now in the British Museum.^ Several antiquities in iron of very great interest were discovered at Mount Caburn^ during the excavations carried out by General Pitt- Rivers. These comprise a hammer (probably part of an adze), two spear-heads, a small plough-share, spud, knives, sickle, bill-hook, frag- ment of armour, and numerous minor pieces of iron, together with horn combs for weaving or combing fiax, pottery and many other antiquities. The iron objects are of special interest from the fact that they were possibly manufactured from Sussex iron, for there seems reason to believe that the iron industry in the Weald was commenced before the Roman period. The bill-hook again, with its curved cutting edge and imperfectly formed socket for the handle, is noteworthy. It is a form of implement which was certainly known as early as the prehistoric age of iron, yet it still survives in many rural districts. The pottery found at Mount Caburn was in some cases ornamented with ' PL iii. lig. 3, p. 47. - Horec Fcralcs, p. 196, plate xx. lijj. 2. = Jrch. xlvi. 423-95. 322
