Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/50

36 open portion was originally intended to obviate the necessity of a clasp or tie, it is probable that they would be fixed with the open part in front. The orifice is well adapted to a moderate-sized female neck, and the material is too thin and delicate to admit of being worn vertically on the head, without great liability to injury and difficulty of fitting. They are generally more ornamented towards the ends, with a single pattern slightly engraved with a point or chisel, with square compartments, lines crossing the upper surface like parts of radii vandyked, and zig-zag lines. I think that they were worn on the neck, although whether they are the actual asn or asian I do not attempt to decide. Some illustration of the manner in which the plain examples of this type were fastened is afforded by the torc found at St. Ayr, near Cotentin: one extremity terminated in a wire bent into a spiral hook, and the other had a small chain of four links attached to it, into which the hook might be fastened.

Gorgets are more commonly discovered in Ireland than in England. One published by Bishop Percy was found in that country. Three of similar shape were discovered in the townland of Cairn Lochan, parish Magheramesk, county Antrim, in digging under a fallen puldan, or so called Druid's altar, at a depth of five feet, rolled up together ; a