376 ON THE USE OF BRONZE CELTS let them remain a day or two to dry, and the celt will then fall off by its own weight, in consequence of the shrinking of the w^ood. It is remarkable that these celts were never rivetted to the handle. Probably the rivet w^ould have been an inconvenience. The principal use of the ring or loop, I apprehend, was to assist in carrying them, a dozen, or twenty, perhaps, being slung together, or a much smaller number tied to the soldier's belt or girdle.^ It appears likely that, when an army was on its march, the Calones often carried the chisels without staves, because these would be a useless encumbrance. They looked for a supply of staves to the natural wood, wdiicli they would not fail to meet with wherever their operations became necessary. Suppose, now, the dolabrse to be no longer wanted, they are left to dry, the bronze capping separates from the wooden handles, the celts are then slung as before, and the army proceeds on its march. In some instances w^e observe that the ring is so small as to admit only a single cord or thong. Of this w^e have an example in the smaller of the two palstaves represented above (p. 374). In such cases the principal use of the ring, probably, w^as to assist in carrying the celt ; but in many others the hole in the loop is much larger, so that the cord or thong might be passed through it many times (see w^ood- cut, p. 369). Here it would be of greater service as a method of attachment. But, notwithstanding the various contrivances to fasten the celt to its handle, it w^ould some- times happen, that in destroying a w^all a chisel thrust between the stones or bricks would be so firmly wedged, as to be in great danger of being detached from the haft, and ^ " As for the ears or loops, 'tis proba- now preserved in the British Museum, ble they might be put on, that thereby the Mr. Du Noyer has also given a represen- handles might be fixt the better ; or per- ta:ion of them in his memoir " On the haps they were designed for the ease of Classification of Bronze Celts." {Ajxhaed. the soldiers, who in their journeys might Journal, vol. iv., p. 6). He supposes the by tliis means fasten them on their gir- ring to have been used for the purpose of dies." Thomas Uearne in Leland's /^jwe- attaching the celt to the handle. But it vary, vol. i., p. 1 .'i"2. is not suited to this purpose, iiiasnuich as Tliat the loop was used for the purpose it is a split ring, i. <:., a piece of wire the of suspension, is, I thinii, proved by the ends of which, instead of being welded, discovery mentioned in the Arc/iaeolof/ia, soldered, or melted together, are only vol. xvi., p. 062, Plate LIV. A bronze fitted together in such a way that the ring is there engraved passing through a things to be suspended may be easily put small ring or bead of jet and the loop of on or taken off. It is, in fact, the kind of a hollow celt. These three articles were ring from which we often suspend our found near Tadcaster, exactly as they are keys. represented in the engraving. They are
