A HISTORY OF LONDON erave-furnlture (with the exception of the Warwick Square vase) or inscribed monument to mark the site. As such, they are typical of the great majority of burnt burials in the Roman empire, and the coins associated in some instances are therefore of the utmost importance, confined as they are in the instances quoted to the first and second centuries. Next may be mentioned in groups other burials after cremation that present certain peculiarities, but are not on that account necessarily of a later date. Early British burials of this kind, such as those at Aylesford, Kent, have not been found in London, a fact that has an important bearing on the date of the City's foundation. A favourite method of protecting the cinerary urn in the grave was to inclose it in a large amphora, of globular or tapering form, the neck being sometimes broken off to admit the urn. Large vessels of this kind were no doubt used for domestic purposes, such as storing wine, 'oil, or grain ; and are generally of coarse thick ware devoid of ornament. In the burial- ground of the chapel in Deverell Street, New Kent Road (Plan A, 23), a good example^' was found in 1835, the outer vessel being 5 ft. in cir- cumference. Many other cinerary urns have been recovered from the site, where they lay about 6 ft. from the surface along with glass phials and mirrors (Fig. i) of white bronze that had apparently been intentionally broken before deposit. In the Guild- hall is preserved a large amphora of globular form that was found in 1904 containing an urn of burnt bones 10 ft. below the surface in the garden of No. 22 Great Alie Street (Plan A, 24). The larger vessel was 2 ft. in dia- meter, and the other was of half that diameter and covered with a dish of pottery. Another similar globular vessel was found at the same time, but went to pieces : both were sealed with earthenware lids." The mention of iron nails in association with these burials recalls cases in which a wooden covering for the urn has perished ; but there seem to have been traces of fire in the present instance. On Holborn Hill, opposite St, Andrew's Church (Plan A, 25), an oaken cist 2 ft. 9 in. square was found at a depth of 1 8 ft. inclosing several damaged urns, one of which contained cremated remains.'" During excavations for Arch, xxvi, 470 (fig.) ; now in British Museum, with mirror. Some measuring 2 ft. in diameter were found in 1 8 19 at the Borough end of King Street (Newcomen Street), during sewer construction (W. Taylor, Annals of St. Mary Overy [1833], to). " Antiquary, xl, 323 ; Daily Graphic, 7 Oct. 1904. ^ Gent. Mag. 1833, i, 549 ; Arch. Ix, 70. The site was at No. 95, east of Union Court, which has since disappeared. Fig. I. — Mirror of White Bronze, Deverell Street, 1835 (British Museum) (^)
