Page:Ancient armillae of gold recently found in Buckinghamshire and in North Britain; with notices of ornaments of gold discovered in the British Islands (IA b31941461).pdf/21

Rh twisted or beaded, occur also in Ireland, and have been communicated to the Institute by an obliging correspondent in Cork, Mr. Edward Hoare. (See Archaeol. Journ. Vol. ii., p. 198.) A fragment of a curious twisted ring of gold, found in a turf-bog, near Sligo, is in Mr. Hoare’s collection, (see No. 9.), closely resembling a specimen from Africa, presented to the Numismatic Society by Mr. Dickinson, and another from Timbuctoo, preserved in the United Service Museum. Of the former, with another gold ring from the interior of Africa, presented to the Numismatic Society by Mr. Hampden, as also of an Irish ring, found near Belfast, of the beaded type (weight, 4 dwts.), I have been enabled to give representations by the kindness of Mr. John Yonge Akerman. (Nos. 10, 11, 12.)

From these more simple types we proceed to the curious torc-rings, and ornaments formed of several wires curiously intertwined, and united together on one side. We were indebted to Mr. Hoare on a former occasion for an interesting example (No. 13), found near Waterford, analogous in character to the armilla represented in this Journal, Vol. v., p. 154. Another specimen, reported to have been found on Flodden Field, was communicated by the Rev. Dr. Hume. It was in the possession of Mr. Paton, who had a similar ring, found at Dunfermline. In the Museum of Mr. Whincopp, at Woodbridge, a fine gold ring of the same type is preserved, of which a representation is here given. (No. 14.) The weight is 12 dwts. 14 grs. This ring was found in Suffolk, and has been supposed to be an ornament for the ear, but its weight appears too great to have allowed of its being thus worn. Another curious specimen, formed of two square bars or wires, wreathed together and welded at the extremities, is in Dr. Mantell’s Museum, and of this also a figure is submitted to our readers, (No. 15.) It was found in ploughing on the Sussex Downs, at Bormer, near Falmer, and presented to Dr. Mantell by the late Earl of Chichester.

I will now briefly notice a few other ornaments of gold, rarely discovered in Great Britain. The first are the massive rings with dilated ends, either of circular or horse-shoe form, and disunited, obviously for the convenience of the wearer.