Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/433

 TWO REMAKKAHl,!: GLOBULAU OBJECTS. 337 stratum of gravel, about tlu-oo inches in tliickncss, bonoatli a (loj)osit of mud of about the same doptli. Tlio ball, wlicu fouud. was covered ^itli a coatiuj;- of dark yellow eolour, which was rubbed oif without mueh ditficuUv. The spot whore it lay is adjacent to the churchyard. The precise weight is i2lb. Ii2 [oz. It must be stated that in the accompanying plato the representation of this ball is slightly larger than the original; the diameter of both. specimens being nearly the same. For the beautiful drawing of the K^lymbridge ball, here reproduced by ]Ir. Shaw, we are indebted to a lady, who kindl}'^ drew it at the request of her relative. Dr. White. In regard to the period to which these relics belong, no precise data can be adduced. The fact recorded by Dr. ]rantell may appear to bring them within the age of urn-buriak more especially' as several tumuli were opened by him on the Sussex Downs. It may, however, be question- « able whether the urn was properly assigned to the British period, or may have been of the rude half-burnt pottery, not made in the lathe, which characterises the early Saxon interments. Spherical objects of crystal and stone have been found repeatedly with remains of the Saxon period. They have been regarded as amulets, or as connected with divination ; and such an object has been sometimes com- pared with the ovum a)tuinnm of Pliny, or the " glain ncider," (serpents of glass) of Cornwall and Wales.'^ In our ][useum at Bristol, a fine agate ball, nearly of the same size as the objects under consideration, was exhibited by Mr. Henry C. Harford, who stated that it was " found in an Archdruid's tunmlus in Cornwall," and had been pi'csented by Sir James Hamlyn Williams to the late JMr. Charles J. Harford. It may be interesting to recall, that in the same collection a large perforated agate bead was shown by Mr. Augustus Smith, found singly with massive bronze armlets in a tumulus in the Scilly Islands. In reference to balls of crystal found in Saxon graves, it may sufhcc to refer to the Nenia, pp. 14, 19, plates 4, 5. Such a ball was found in the tomb near Tournai, usually assigned to Childeric, who died in 481.^ Ltirgo perforated beads of crystal have like- wise been discovered with Saxon remains, singly, as noticed - For informntion on this subject, see Wilson's Prehistoric Annnls of Scotland. Mr. Niglitinj;ale's curious memoir ou p. .'504. Ancient Beads, Archaeol. vol. 34, p. 4G. ^ Chifflet, Anastasis Childcrici, p. 240. VOL. IX. Y Y