Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/434

406 therine, St. Barbara, St. Margaret, and St. Magdalen, being written underneath. All the figures are in a palisaded garden, except a solitary rabbit in the foreground, an animal existing also in the woodcut of St. Christopher, dated 1423, belonging to Lord Spencer, and which, previously to this discovery at Mechlin, was considered as the oldest specimen of wood-cutting extant.

In the Archæological section next day, with reference to some observations by M. Wilbert of Cambrai on M. de Roisin's Essay, its author said that, although the date of 1206 therein given to a Romanesque building might be erroneous, he would contend that the church of pointed architecture observed on was really of the date 1145; and also that to Germany, if not to Sicily, must be attributed the origin of the earliest pointed style—allowing however to France her claim to the invention of the style of the thirteenth century. M. de Lambron of Tours having alluded to the utility of heraldry in ascertaining dates, was thereon solicited to publish whatever researches he had made on that subject. M. von Quast of Berlin presented some highly interesting drawings from a series of frescoes in the church at Halberstadt, In answer to the question on Celtic monuments, the Chevalier de la Basse-Moùturie mentioned a Druidical stone at Altlinster near Luxemburg, which he described as sculptured in relief, with two colossal human figures in long-sleeved garments; and also a paved road near Arlton of a period older than the Romans, and a Gaulish forge with large blocks near it of ferruginous scoriæ now covered with thick moss. M. de Caumont considered this sculpture merely the effect of atmospheric exposure; but M. Dusevel of Amiens thought otherwise, and stated that at Corbie Church in Britanny is a Celtic stone sculptured with a long human face of a peculiar saint-like expression, and begged to be informed whether at Brunswick there be not a similar example. On the question as to Roman roads, those in the duchy of Luxemburg were described as consisting of three different layers, each about one foot thick, and thus disposed: viz, 1st, a foundation of stone-blocks bonded together as well as their rude shape would allow, the intervals being filled with sand; 2nd, a bed of small broken stones covered with a thin bed of earth; and 3rd, a bed of hard concrete, composed of lime and gravel. The base being twenty-five feet broad, diminishing gradually upwards to the sin-face, a bed of gravel six feet broad. M. Dumortier on this observed, that the Roman road at Tournay is composed of large stones arranged herringbone-wise, and took occasion to suggest a further investigation of the Roman roads leading to Boulogne, with the hope of discovering the site of Nemetacum. M. Guillemin said that vestiges of Roman roads from Cassel to Arras and to Amiens still remain; that at Vongres the fragment of a military column had been lately found; and, imbedded in the vallum of a Roman camp at Avesnes, some hundred large-headed quadrangular spikes of iron nearly a foot long.

At the general meeting in the afternoon, M. Dumortier gave a long account of Tournay cathedral preparatory to the next day's intended visit.