Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/587

 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. Ul displayed in their design ; they comprised the figure of Sileiius luountcd oii an ass, and colossal heads of Flora, Ceres, and Pomona. Mr. English presented to the Institute, a very valuable collection of ancient arms and relics, discovered in the Thames, near Wandsworth, consisting of a fine Ijronze sword, a celt of novel type, ornamental coverings for shields, of thin bronze plate, exhibiting exceedingly curious designs, in high relief. One of these is circular, (diam. 13 inches,) the other measures 14^ inches in length, the diameter of the umbo being -1 inches. This ornament appears to be similar in character to the remarkable " liritish shield," found in the River Witham, and now preserved in the Goodrich Court Armory. ^ The design of the circular plate, first mentioned, is also of the same remarkable style of decoration. Sir Samuel Meyrick was of opinion, that it exhibited " a mixture of British ornament with such resemblances to the elegant designs on Roman work, as would be produced by a people in a less state of civilisation." Amongst the antiquities discovered on Polden Hill, Somerset, and now deposited in the British Museum, there is a bronze umbo, apparently intended, like the circular plate found in the Thames, to be affixed to a buckler, probably formed of wood. This umbo, including the broad ornamented border surrounding it, measures 10^ inches in diameter.^ Mr. English presented also some weapons of a later period, — an iron spear-head, of unusual dimensions (lengtli, 2.5 inches), and some iron swords. An interesting object of bronze was laid before the Meeting, presented by Mr. Thomas E. Blackwell, of Fox- hanger, during the SaUsbmy Meeting. It is the spiked head of a mace, and was found in a well at Great Bedwyn, Wilt- shire. A relic of an analogous descrip- tion has been represented in a previous page in this volume, with notices of some other examples. (See page 181.) The Rev. H. Maclean, Vicai- of Cais- ter, Lincolnshire, sent for exhibition a number of highly interesting antiquities, of the Anglo-Saxon period, recently dis- covered at Scarby, near Caister, and simi- lar in character to some found at that place, and exhibited at a previous meet- ing. They were found with a human skeleton, and consisted of a cruciform fibula, and a necklace formed of roughly shaped lumps of amber, mixed with beads of vitrified paste; these lay on the neck ; also, some sintjular bronze or- naments, which lay near the right thigh, their use has not been hitherto (Jrouze Head of a Weapon. (Ualf origiQal size.) - Engraved in the Archaeologia, vol. xxiii., pi. .iu. ^ Archaeologia, vol. xiv., pi. ."sviii. Many circular bucklers of bronze, considered to be of the early British period, have been dis- covered, which it may be interesting to com- ])are with the relics above noticed. A good account of defences of this nature may be found in the Transactions of the Cambridge Antiquari;in Society, vol. ii., No. 14. Com- pare also Wagener, Handbuch, fig. 486.