Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/404

254 of them often, as here, is fleur-de-lysé: the head of an animal is often annexed, as in these examples; sometimes it is rudely figured by scroll foliations, forming a similar outline. Near to it are represented a mirror, sometimes with two handles or rings, (?) a crescent, possibly the gold lunular ornament, frequent in Ireland, and a comb: the crescent sometimes traversed by a V-shaped symbol, one extremity branched, the other similar to a fleur-de-lys: the triquetra, a fish, animals and horsemen are also introduced. But for a precise notion of these mysterious devices we must refer our readers to Mr. Chalmers' beautiful plates.

Objects of metal, exhibiting the peculiar spiral ornaments of this character, are of excessive rarity in England. Almost the only well-marked examples exist in the Museum of the Warwickshire Natural History and Archaeological Society; they were found at Chesterton, in that county, and may be assigned to the seventh century, It is interesting to observe that while one pair of roundels there preserved, exhibit almost precisely the type of ornament shown on the silver plates from Largo, (fig. 3.) as may be seen by the wood-cut given with the Notes on the Art of Enamelling, in a former volume of the Journal; a second pair ornamented with a cross, present a close resemblance to other roundels combined with the Z on sculptured crosses in North Britain. This last Warwickshire example is figured in the Journal of the Archaeological Association (vol. iii., p. 282). Two other objects, of similar ornamentation, found in a tumulus in Derbyshire, maybe seen figured in the Archaeologia (vol. ix., p. 190). In Ireland, and especially in the Museums of the Royal Irish Academy, works in metal, and enriched with enamel (the Opus Hibernicum?) characterised by similar ornament, are to found in greater variety.

In regard to the intention of these singular plates, no probable conjecture has hitherto been proposed. Mr. Buist speaks of "scale-armour, the pieces of which consisted of small-sized bronze-shaped plates of silver, suspended loosely by a hook from the upper corner." If these be the plates in question, it is obvious that they were not destined for such a purpose, the small spirally engraved boss at the "upper corner" being, in both the plates received from Mr. Dundas,