Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/216

 198 AN ACCOUNT OF COINS AND TREASURE finer and more delicate, the mode of operating also different ; that (80) must have been made by inserting the separate links into each other, and then uniting the ends by soldering ; in this (84) the article is produced from one continuous wire knitted precisely as a modern stocking is made, as will be perceived by examining accurately the forms of the stitches both on the inside and the outside. In the description of some of the objects the use of solder was mentioned, and it will be seen by examination of the fragments such as figg. 95, 96, that such a means must have been adopted in their formation ; upon a thin plate of silver, a small stud is soldered down, round it is soldered a thinnish wire, the upper side of which is marked with transverse lines, which give it a twisted appearance, and similar wires are fastened in a similar manner forming curves and spirals, and producing patterns of considerable elegance; and it is somewhat remarkable that silver ornaments, constructed in a manner perfectly similar, are at this day manufactured on the coast of Lycia and in the Greek islands ; it is not therefore im- possible but that this portion of the Cuerdale find may have derived its origin from the east ; yet on the other hand the pattern upon fig. 94 so much resembles the intricate patterns upon very early crosses and architectural remains, that it is difficult to assign to it any other than a northern origin ; but the round knobs surrounded by ribbed wire connect it with figg. 95, 96, and claim for both a common origin. It has been already observed that hardly any of the various ornaments comprised in this find are in a condition to have been worn, but they have been crushed together for the con- venience of package, or, like the ingots and bars, have been cut into pieces to facilitate the adjustment in the scales of a required weight. This find seems to afford a rational expla- nation of the mode by which in those days trade and com- merce were conducted : it Avould seem that for ordinary trans- actions, money, actual coins, struck with some device, adjusted to a correct weight, well known and easily recognisable by all persons, were commonly used ; that in transactions of larger amount, silver, in whatever form, was used, not as money, but as an article of barter ; any rude ingot, or bar, or ornament being thrown into the scale, the party being pro- vided with a number of pieces cut off at random, of various sizes, in order to adjust the weight to the value required.