Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/337

 TilK ROYAL ARCHAHOLOOICAL INSTITUTI-. 9,S'-i In 1001 they are said to Imvo been laid aside entirely iu Sweden at the instance of the Pope and a British IJisliop, and afterwards in Spain/' AVlien this o])positiou to Runes began has not been discovered ; but the point seems to deserve mention when the (luestion is whether this comb was sent by a Pope. A point in the Pope's letter dct^erves attention ; lie sends the benediction of St. Peter, (Ii'd is, a silver mirror and a gilt ivory comb (bencdictionem beati Petri, Apostolorum principis, id est, speculum argcnteum et ])cctinem eboreum inaiu-atum). Now in Stuart's ' Sculptured Stones of Scotland,' the comb and mirror frequently occui together on the early stones there given ; and the same figures are on the tomb of the Princess Anna, at lona, a.d. 1.j4."3.^ This naturally raises the question whether there is not some hidden and mysterious signification in these conjoined emblems. "Next were shown two jet beds, which are ])ierced longitudinally ; the longer one is exactly similar to a bead represented in Arch. Jouru., Vol. 24, p. 257, which was found in Holyhead Island by Mr, Owen Stanley. This bead, like the upjjcr one there given, is flatter on one side, l)Ut it is exactly the same length and breadth in the middle as the second there given. The second bead here is the same length as the third tiicre given ; but it is thicker for the greater part of its length. On the page cited a figure is given of a necklace, of which the beads, together with some oblong pieces t)f jet, are supjjosed to have formed part. Whitby is so celebrated fur the i)roduction of the best jet, and it has been got there in such remote times, and the similarity of these beads to those found at Holyhead is so striking, that the probability is that the latter came from Whitby." He (Mr. Oreaves) thought that he coiild solve Mr. Way's difficidty in the paper on these beads,' as to the kind of implement by which so fragile a material as jet could have been drilled. He jirodnced a flint drill found at Eskdalesidc, six miles from Whitby, which appears to be precisely the sort of tool to drill such beads. Tlie size and square shape of the head would enable a }»ei-son readily to rotate the drill with the right hand whilst he held a piece <>f jet in the left hand. Prubalil}' a piece of jet of a greater thickness than that of the intended bead was first prepared. A thicker jiiece with a rough outside could be held much more firmly iu the hand, and the thicker the jet the less danger there would be of splitting it in the course of the drilling. Jet beads are now first cut out with a chisel, then drilled with a lathe, and then woni down with another lathe, the wheel of which is sandstone, and polished on another wheel with listen or a border of woollen cloth and rouge. Sj that at present the hole is drilled through a thick piece of jet, which is reduced afterwards, and this supports the suggestion made as to the mode of drilling in ancient times. It is very possible that the holes may have been drilled from each end so as to meet in the middle. In order to test this suggestion Mr. Oreaves has since obtained some rough ])ieces of jet from Whitl)y, and has found that the drill jiroduecd will drill a hole in jet without breaking it. He lieM the jet in his left hand and rotated the drill with his right, and ho found nS, SO, and V.>2. ^ Graliaiu'i Ant. lon.i, |>lato xlv. Arch. ' Arch. Journ. vul. xxiv. p. '2i)0.