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/22

14 They bear a close analogy to the Gaulish “manaks,” as designated by Mr. Deane in his valuable Memoir on Gold Ornaments found at Vieuxbourg, near Quentin, in Britany. Three interesting relics of this nature, found with earthen vessels and bones on the Downs, near Patcham, Sussex, were kindly communicated to the Institute by Colonel Paine, of Patcham Place, through Mr. Blaauw. One of them is formed of copper, thickly plated with gold. A representation of one specimen is given, (No. 16.): weight 2 oz. 5 dwts. 6 grs.; the inner side is flat, with rather angular edges. On being assayed, the gold was found largely alloyed with silver, (in the proportion of 5 oz. 6 dwts. 18 grs. pure gold, and 6 oz. 5 dwts. of silver, in the pound Troy). The second weighed 5 oz. 5 dwts. 12 grs., with a much slighter admixture of silver, (about 1 oz. 6 dwts. in the pound Troy). The plated ring weighed 4 oz. Four gold armillæ of very similar type, but less massive, had been found, in 1806, on the shore near East Bourne, immediately under Beachy Head, with a bronze spear, five celts, a portion of a bronze sword, and lumps of copper, apparently very pure. They were sent to the Society of Antiquaries by Mr. Holt, a watchmaker of East Bourne, and sold, through the late Sir Joseph Banks. The weights were, 3 oz. 1 dwt.,—1 oz. 10 dwts.,—18 dwts. 2 grs., and 16 dwts. 4 grs. A figure of one is given in the Archaeologia, Vol. xvi., Pl. LXVIII. A similar object was found in May, 1802, at Drayton, between Reepham and Norwich, and sold to Messrs. Denham, silversmiths in that city, for twenty guineas. It was perfectly round and plain, without engraved line or ornament, the ends dilated; the weight was 7 oz. 3 dwts. 21 grs. Another, found near Aspatria in Cumberland, December, 1828, was slightly ornamented with circular lines, and small notches along the edges; it was supposed that certain Runes might be discerned incised near one of its extremities; they were explained by the late Mr. Hamper to signify GEROT—i.e. fabricavit, the name or monogram of the maker having been, as he conjectured, effaced. It seems very doubtful, however, whether the supposed characters were more than accidental scratches. The weight of this armlet was 5 oz. 10 dwts. 6 grs.