Page:Origin of metallic currency and weight standards.djvu/53

 Rings found in the tombs of Mycenae.

we find two distinct words for brooches coming thus together? Is it not far more likely that in the spirals of Mycenae we have the real bent helikes of Homer? These spirals would serve not only for finger rings, but might be used in the hair, or more probably still were used as a means of fastening on the dress, being passed through eyelet holes or loops, on the principle of the modern key ring. On comparing them with the Scandinavian spiral (Fig. 1) the reader will see that this primitive form of employing gold was widely diffused over Europe. The Scandinavians used such ornaments of bent wire (O.N. baugr, A.S. beag from root, to bend) very commonly, beside oxen and other property, as media of exchange. Thus both beag in Anglo-Saxon, and baugr in Old Norse became used as general names for treasure. Thus baugbrota (cf. hring brota), literallyexplains them as earrings ([Greek: enotia]), or armlets, anklets ([Greek: psellia]), or rings ([Greek: daktylioi]). Eustathius on Iliad 400 explains them as [Greek: enôtia ê psellia para to eis kyklon helissesthai], "earrings or armlets (anklets), so called from being rolled up" (helissesthai). Cp. Ebeling, Lexicon Homericum, s.v. [Greek: helix].]