Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/262

182 ]S2 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF By Mil. Edward Hoare, Local Secretary at Cork. — Representations of two singular relics, discovered in Ireland, coloured, in order to sliow their true appearance, and the brilliant hues and arrangement of the fictitious gems with which they are richly carved. These objects had been noticed in a communication by Mr. Lindsay to the Gentleman's Magazine, in 1844, one of them being then in his possession, the other in the Museum of the late Mr. Anthony, of Piltown. They are in the form of a large caterpillar, about 4 inches in length, of silver, set with pieces of glass, the prevalent colours being yellow and green, with a dark blue band on each side, and a red band, on one, along the back. They have been supposed to be amulets, fabricated with some notion of preservative virtue against the conac, or murrain, a caterpillar of like form, supposed by the Irish peasantry to be hurtful to their cattle. The workmanship bears some resemblance to that of Oriental ornaments ; Mr. Hoare considers them to be of late medieval date. May 3, 1850. Sir Johx Boileau, Bart., V.P., in the Chair. His Grace the Duke of Northumberland communicated the following particulars relative to the Egyptian relics exhibited at the previous meeting. Mr. Edmund Hopkinson, in whose possession they were, had informed him that upon inquiry he found that they were discovered, with various Roman remains, coins, keys, clasps, <fcc., on the supposed site of the ancient Glevum, in the suburbs of the city of Gloucester. They were found, about twenty years since, by a person named Sims, in a bed of gravel which he dug for sale in the neighbourhood, and were purchased from him by Mr. Bonnor, of Gloucester, from whom they had come into Mr. Hopkinson's possession, with various relics of Roman character, found at the same time. Mr. Hopkinson added, that he had been assured by a friend resident in Gloucester, and conversant with matters of antiquity, that similar objects had been found near the same locality, on other occasions ; and that he had supposed them to be Roman imitations, possibly, or brought over by Roman soldiers who had served in Egypt. Without attempting to affirm the fact as thus stated, but which has been much called in question, it may certainly appear by no means improbable that some Egyptian relics should have thus been introduced into thi.s country in Roman times. We are not aware of any instance of such discovery on record, with the exception of the scarabaeus (of bronze ?) dug up in the Isle of Sheppy, and exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries, in 1792, by Mr. Deacon. It was found with a piece of red fictile ware, probably a patera or di&h of " Samian," and a gold coin, at a considerable depth. It is not known where this relic now exists. A representation is given in the Arch apologia.' The relics communicated to his Grace by Mr. Hopkinson consist of a little figure of green porcelain, representing the divinity Ptali, or Osiris (Vulcan) ; a figure of lapis lazuli, representing Ncith, wearing the crown of the lower world ; Isis, having on her head her throne ; a little figure of porcelain ; a small figure of a cat of blue porcelain ; tln-ee scarabaji, two of them sepulchral, apparently of calcareous stone and burnt basalt ; the third ^ Arcli;rologia, vol.xi., I'l. XIX., j). KiO.