Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/403

Rh Page 63. For "Accedia" misspelt for "Accidia," read "Sloth."

Mr. Goddard Johnson forwarded some further particulars relative to the discovery at Felmingham. He writes, "Among the objects discovered is a line head of the Emperor Valerian, 6$1⁄2$ inches high; a head of Minerva 4$1⁄4$ inches high; a beautiful figure of a cup-bearer, 3 inches high, dressed in a tunic and buskins; all these are in bronze. There are many other articles the names of which I do not know, but I shortly hope to be able to send lithographic representations of all of them, together with full particulars of the discovery. I may add there were two or three coins, one of which in base silver is of Valerian."

The Rev. Dr. Buckland informed the Committee that he was about to prosecute his researches into the Roman remains near Weymouth, an account of which he had laid before the Association at Canterbury. He and the Rev. W. D. Conybeare had visited the site, and found abundant evidence confirmatory of extensive subterranean works. They had already uncovered the angles of a building, some curious walls, and the corner of a pavement. It appears that in the time of George the Third a large tessellated pavement was discovered at the spot, which was excavated at the cost of the king, who had it covered up again.

Mr. Smith exhibited drawings of three inscribed votive altars forwarded by Mr. Joseph Fairless, of Hexham, and read the following note from that gentleman:—

"The three rough sketches are of Roman altars, found at Rutehester, a week or two ago; this is the fourth station on the line of the Roman wall westward from Newcastle. There were five altars turned up, lying near the surface of the soil, outside the southern wall of the station. The three altars delineated are in excellent preservation; one of the others appears to be dedicated likewise to the sun, but the inscription is nearly obliterated. The last is smaller, about 2 feet high, without any apparent inscription. With regret I add, that a statue likewise found was broken up, for the purpose of covering a drain by the labourers employed; timely intervention saved the altars."

No. 2. of these inscriptions informs us that a temple of the Roman station which had from some cause become dilapidated, had been restored by the Prefect Cornelius Antonius, and the dedications on Nos. 2. and 3. shew that it was a temple erected to the Sun or Mythras, which deity is implied in the word on No. 1, a votive altar, the gift of a soldier of the sixth legion, named L. Sentius Castus. The altars are probably as late as the middle of the third century, or later.

Mr. Smith also exhibited a drawing forwarded by Mr. Parker, of a sccatta, the property of the Rev. G. M. Nelson, of Boddicot Grange, near Banbury, and observed that it was an unpublished specimen, and extremely interesting, as shewing in a striking manner the way in which the early Saxons copied