Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/140

98 98 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. seated in one of Mr. Lee's plates, objects of considerable rarity in England, although a few specimens have been found at York (preserved in the museum there), at Chester and elsewhere. But the rarest works in terra cotta, discovered at Caerleon, and some of them in the extensive villa on Mr. Jenkins' property, are " Cornice bricks," which, as far as we are aware, had not been previously noticed in England. The diggings at Isca have been singularly productive in specimens of the curious art of enamel, so closely analogous, in the process employed, to the works of the Byzantine school of Limoges in medieval times. By the kind permission of Mr. Jenkins, several choice relics of Anglo-Roman champ-leve enamel have been submitted to the Institute, in their Museum formed during the Norwich Meeting. The most interestiog objects of ancient art, however, found at Caerleon, are ivory carvings, of which Mr. Lee gives representa- tions in the work now before us : one of them is a tragic mask, the other a canephorus, possibly Pomona, with an attendant Cupid. Antique ivories are of great rarity and interest, and the material appears to be singularly perishable when exposed to the air after being disinterred. It may deserve mention, as a valuable practical hint, that these curious relics having rapidly become cracked after exposure, so that they would soon have become dis- integrated, they were effectually preserved by means of a solution of isinglass in spirits of wine, — a process adopted with such happy success in the case of the ivory carvings discovered by Mr. Layard at Nimroud, and now to be seen in the British Museum. Before we take leave of these Memorials of Isca, which had partly appeared in the " Archseologia Cambrensis,"- but have been given anew, much augmented, and with a double amount of illustration, we would call attention to the gratifying circumstance, stated by Mr. Lee, that nearly all the antiquities found during recent years in Caerleon, including those now described and delineated, will be deposited in the museum actually in course of construction. We regret to learn that the entire preservation of the remains of the villa and hypocausts, lately uncovered in Mr. Jenkins' grounds, may be impracticable. We doubt not that the liberality and good taste of that gentleman will ensure their conservation so far as may be consistent with actual requirements. But it is highly satisfactory to be assured that a safe place of custody will be provided for the numerous objects of curiosity and value described by Mr. Lee. The interest of such local collections, in situ, is very great ; and the establishment of such a museum naturally tends to encourage all private collectors to incorporate their stores. Many a relic will find its place in the series, like the curious inscription of the time of Geta, mentioned by Camden, long since removed from Caerleon, and now restored by the laudable liberality of Mr. Lewis, of St. Pierre, who has presented it to the collection. We cordially vfish success to the spirited antiquaries who have undertaken the establishment of such a museum : the interest of the object has been fully recognised in the county ; but the contributions, we regret to learn from Mr. Lee, have not proved wholly adequate to the completion of an object, highly deserving - Arcli.Tologia Cambrensis, Vol. iv., p. 73. Some other notices of discoveries at Caerleon, by Mr. Fox, may also be found in that periodical.