Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/287

 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE. 219 why this strict adherence to a certain gradation of weight ? Specimens exist, increasing in weight in the same ratio ; the very small specimens being of the greater rarity, possibly because the rings of silver, bronze, and bone, frequently found in Ireland, may have supplied the place of smaller currency of gold." These penannular rings, as they have been termed, of the larger size are occasionally found twisted, but very massive : they occur also taper- ing towards the extremities ; a good example of this type, exhibited by the bishop of Meath to the Society of Antiquaries, about the year 1755, is represented in the Archseologia, vol. ii. pi. 1. A series of examples of various forms and dimensions, the plain massive rings varying in weight from 12 grs. to 276 grs., may be seen in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xvii., with a memoir by Sir William Betham ". It is remark- able that the weight is almost invariably divisible by six. Further observ- ations on this curious subject may be found in Sir William's Etruria Celtica, in Mr. Lindsay's View of the Coinage of Ireland, and several papers in the Numismatic Chronicle by jMr. Hoare, Mr. Bonomi, and Mr. Dickinson, who have shewn the curious analogy which appears to exist between these rings and the penannular gold currency of Sennaar and the interior of Africa. This remarkable class of Irish antiquities has already been brought under the notice of our readers by the communication from Mr. Sainthill, which will be found in the Archseological Journal, vol. i. p. 257. A fine collec- tion was exhibited in the museum recently formed during the meeting of the Institute at Lincoln. Mr. Hoare presented at the same time to the Institute a hthographic representation of a sculptured bas-relief, a galeated head, found amongst the excavated rubbish at Pompeii by Robert Gregory, Esq., and presented by him to the Piltowu museum, county Kilkenny. ANGLO-ROMAN PERIOD. The very remarkable fibula and armilla, of which representations are here given, are of very unusual character. They are of silver, and were found in the course of excavations for the Ely and Peterborough railway. J We are indebted to Mr. Hertz, of Marlborough street, for the communica- tion of these highly curious relics. The fibula measures 6 inches and a half in length, it is of a very unusual form, and was originally ornamented with two rectangular compartments of pierced, or triforiated, work, the delicate
 * Tliis treatise was also given with the illustratioas, ia the Gentlemaa's Magazine.