Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/188

160 of a pulley. The portion of this collar which passed round the nape of the neck is flat, smooth within, chased on the outer edge, in imitation of a cord, corroborating Mr. Birch's conjecture that this kind of collar was fashioned originally in imitation of a row of beads strung upon a cord. Socher Moss appears to have been a forest of great extent, and large trunks of trees are frequently found in it: numerous ancient coins, seals, and other remains of various periods, have been brought to light in cutting peat in this great morass, and the neighbouring heights are crowned by encampments, supposed to be of Roman origin. Mr. Gray sent impressions from two seals discovered in this moss: one of them appeared to be an antique intaglio, representing Mars, the other was a personal seal of late medieval date, bearing an eagle displayed.

The Rev. W. H. Gunner, Local Secretary for Hampshire, reported the discovery of a large quantity of Roman coins, and the remains of a Roman villa, in Mitcheldever Wood, about six miles from Winchester, on the road to Basingstoke. Mr. Gunner stated that on proceeding to the spot he was informed that about two years ago the game-keeper found a few coins scratched out of the ground by the rabbits, and as this occurred from time to time, he was induced to dig in order to discover if there was any hoard concealed there. He thus exposed the foundations of a wall composed of flint and slates. The lower layer was of flint placed upon the chalk soil; on the flint was laid a coating of mortar, and on the mortar a course of slates. In this matter, mixed up with it, were the coins, of which at least 1400 were found. Those which Mr. Gunner saw were all third brass, the only one he could decipher was of the Emperor Gratian. The excavations were continued under the direction of the bailiff of Sir Thomas Baring, the owner of the estate. Foundations of walls were discovered in all directions round the spot; and fragments of Roman bricks and flue-tiles, some pottery, and two or three pieces of the so-called Samian ware, had been turned up. Mr. Gunner added, "There can be no doubt that these are the remains of a very considerable Roman villa. The site may be very distinctly traced by means of inequalities in the ground, which, from being buried in the recesses of a very large wood, have hitherto escaped notice. The people employed in the wood had long observed that in the immediate neighbourhood of this spot the soil was very different from that of the rest of the wood. Such is certainly the fact. It appears to be artificial, and, I should think, brought from a distance; for it seemed to be a black loam, whilst the surrounding soil is that which prevails in the Hampshire Hills, a thin light vegetable mould upon chalk. I will take an early opportunity of visiting the spot again, and should anything of interest occur I will inform the Institute of it."

At the present time, when the study of the vestiges of the Roman occupation of Britain has received a fresh impetus, the following remarks on the authenticity of the treatise "de Situ Britanniæ," attributed to Richard of