Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/88

72 bridle, with a ring for attaching the rein, measuring in diameter 3 inches, a spear-head, and a curved implement, possibly intended for raking up the ashes of the funereal pile, were found. All these objects are of iron. Some portions of vases or urns were discovered, and some of these appear to have been formed with small handles, perforated, as if for suspension: the colour of the ware is a deep glossy black, and some pieces are of fine quality. These relics were brought to light in the space between the quarry where the skeleton was disinterred, (on the skull of which was a bronze frame of a cap, or head-piece,) and the road to Birdlip.

Mr. C. R. Smith reported a recent discovery of some extremely solid and well-constructed foundations of Roman buildings, in Old Fish-street Hill, near the entrance into Thames-street, at the depth of 16 feet. These works were brought to light by excavations made for a sewer. One wall, from 3 to 4 feet thick, ran parallel with the street towards Thames-street, and another crossed it at right angles. In the latter was an arch 3 feet wide, and 3 high, turned with tiles, 17 inches by 8, projecting one over the other, the crown of the arch being formed by a single tile. The walls were built upon large hewn stones, many of which had clearly been used previously in some other building, and these were laid upon wooden piles. By the side of the wall which ran parallel with the sewer, about 16 feet from the arch, were several tiers of tiles, 2 feet by 18 inches, placed upon massive hewn stones, one of which measured 4 feet 5 inches in length, was 2 feet wide, and 2 feet thick. Mr. Smith regretted that circumstances did not admit of his making such researches as the magnitude and peculiarities of these subterranean remains deserved. The depth of the walls and the piles beneath, when compared with the adjoining ground, shewed that the site had been low and boggy. Twenty paces higher up Old Fish-street Hill the excavators came upon the native gravel, at the depth of 5 or 6 feet.

Mr. Crofton Croker read a letter which he had received from J. Emerson Tennent, Esq., M.P., stating that about the year 1837-8, some turf-cutters, working in a bog at Gart-na-moyagh, near Garvagh, in the county of Derry, found the body of a knight in complete chain armour; beside it were the heads and brazen buts of two spears, but the wooden shaft which connected them had disappeared; and, close by, lay one or two trunks which had contained embroidered dresses, for threads of gold and silver could be pulled out of the peat earth which filled the space within the decayed wood of the boxes. The trappings of his horse were likewise found, and together with them a pair of stirrups which had been wrought with gold and silver ornaments, like Turkish or Saracenic work.

Some fragments of the armour were preserved, and the rings seemed, as it was stated, to indicate that they were of Milanese workmanship, because they were joined inside the ring, instead of outside as the Spanish armour was.