Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/400

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382
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE.

bottom vase is very perfect, and made of a similar clay to that called 'terra cotta.' Amongst the brasses a female head and neck, surmounted with a helmet, like to that we see on the figures of Minerva, the face is flattened and the features rather bruised; an exquisite little figure about 3 inches, or 31/2 high, holding in one hand either a bottle or long-necked cruet, and in the other a patera, or cup, probably intended for a Ganimede, certainly not a faun; a larger head, thick necked, close curling hair and beard, features well formed, the scalp made to take off, evidently only part of a figure, originally from 18 inches to 2 feet in height, not unlike some drawings I have seen representing Jupiter; this specimen is hollow, and the eyes are not filled. A small square ornament, something like an altar, stands upon four feet; a small wheel; a pair of what appear to have been brooches or buckles with heads in the centre; two birds, one holding a pea, or something round, in its beak, these were originally attached to something else, probably handles to covers; a round vessel, very shallow, about 10 or 11 inches in circumference, having a top and bottom soldered together, but now separated, the top having a hole in the centre about the size of a sixpenny piece; two small round covers; a long instrument about 11/2 feet, not unlike a riding-whip in form, of the same metal, it has an ornamented handle, and terminates in shape to a spear-head, but at the point it finishes with a round; another, similar to the above, the handle gone; the head differs in being double, two spears at right angles springing from the same point with small wings at the bottom of each edge; several narrow strips of the same metal, one apparently intended to be worn at the top of the mantle or tunic, just below the throat, the others are of various lengths."

Mr. Smith also read a letter from Mr. W. S. Fitch, of Ipswich, enclosing a notice of this discovery from Mr. Goddard Johnson, of Norwich. Mr. Smith remarked that these communications afforded an exemplification of the utility of the Association, in the fact of three members having thus interested themselves so promptly in making a report of this discovery.

Mr. W. Sidney Gibson, of Tynemouth, informed the Committee that the report published in the 'Times' respecting the contemplated destruction of the remains of Berwick Castle, to make way for a terminus to the North British Railway, is not strictly correct.

Mr. G. Godwin communicated the substance of his remarks made in the Architectural section at Canterbury, on the masons' marks he had observed in many of the stones in the walls of Canterbury Cathedral. These marks appear to have been made simply to distinguish the work of different individuals, (the same is done at this time in all large works), but the circumstance that although found in different countries, and on works of very different age, they are in numerous cases the same, and that many are religious and symbolical, and are still used in modern free-masonry, led him to infer that they were used by system, and that the system was the same in England, Germany, and France.

In Canterbury Cathedral there is a great variety of these marks, including many seen elsewhere in various parts of Europe. They occur both in the oldest part of the crypt, the eastern transept (north and south), and the nave. The wall of the north aisle of the latter is covered with them, and here the stones are seen in many cases to have two marks, as in the cut: perhaps that of the