Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/145

Rh XUTICKS (>K AltClIAKol.oOlCAI. I'L'HLICATloNS. 1(17 statue of saiulitone, found at Chesters. notion of this statue. (Sec liis woodcut, p. 189.) It is less corrccMy figured in Mr. Hodgson's work (p. 181) ; but we there learu that the hull, on which the Mother of the Gods stands, trampled ap- parently on a serpent. The curious fragment supposed to have been the pedestal is not noticed by Mr. Bruce. With these sculptured re- lics may be noticed the fine capital of a column, given at the close of this notice. Several interesting sepul- chral tablets were found on the site of the cemetery of the station, and of two of these, now preserved in the " British Museum," formed by the Duke of Northumberland at Alnwick Castle, his Grace has kindly presented engravings, given in the volume before us. One of them represents a horseman of the ala Sccunda Asturum. Amongst the remains at Cilurmim there is one of singular interest : it is a vaulted chamber, or rather the roof is formed of three ribs, the intervals being, in technical language, " stepped over." The stones of each course are made to project inwards a little, until at length one laid on the top com- pletes the junction. This curious specimen of Roman masonry, of which Mr. Bruce has kindly enabled us to give, with several other subjects, the accompanying representation, has been called the ^Erarhim of the station. Several counterfeit denarii were found in it. It is highly curious : and we are pleased to be enabled to submit to our readers another early example of vaulting, existing near the Roman Wall, and by some regarded as actually of Roman workmanship. We allude to the ancient crypt at He.vham, (see woodcuts,) in the construction of which there are certainly many fragments of Roman workmanship, as also inscriptions. They may have been brought from Corbridge, when St. Wilfrid built a church at Hexham, more Itomano, about the year G73. The view of the crypt will be the more acceptable to our readers, since the subject of these curious remains has already been brouglit under their notice in the Journal, through an obliging communication from Mr. Fairless, of Ilexhara. (Archaeol. Journ., vol. ii., p. 239.) We have alluded somewhat in detail to the various striking remains presented to the archaeologist at Cilurnum, because it is doubtless one of the most interestino; sites, as also that which has been examined with the most intelhgent taste for antiquarian investigations. It may not, indeed, be cited as a normal type of the stations on the Wall, but it illustrates strikingly the character of these fortress-settlements. Borcovicus may not be so important a field of enquiry, but we fully anticipate that Mr. Clay- ton's keen spirit of research, now addressed to that fresh and interesting station, will be repaid by a rich harvest of curious information. Already may be seen in its gateways, recently excavated, the ruts worn on the threshold-stone by the wheels of the higw, — the guard-chambers, strewed with remains of animals on which their occupants had fed, and supplied with flues for artificial heat, a precaution which natives of suuthcru climes,