Page:VCH Rutland 1.djvu/151

 ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS shield-bosses of three patterns, lance-heads and spear-heads of two main types, two good specimens of the ' long ' brooch in a debased form occurring only in England, two openwork swastika brooches (as coloured plate, fig. 3), and the bases of two ' applied ' brooches of a type best represented at Kempston, Bedfordshire.^^ The face of these brooches consisted of a disc of gilt bronze embossed with a cruciform or other pattern, and attached to a plain base by means of cement, which was kept in place by a collar passing all round the rim. The base bore at the back a pin for attachment, and was slit to receive the hinge and catch. Such a base and collar are figured separately (nos. 4, 5 and ring next no. 12) in a photograph accompanying the original account and showing the best specimens in Lord Ancaster's possession. There may be seen two pairs of long and cruciform brooches (nos. 3, 6-8), two studs from the point of shield-bosses (nos. i, 2), and the pyramidal bronze pommel of a sword, two sword-blades being included in the collection. There are also five pottery vessels, two of which are ornamental (5^ and 4^ in. high), the others being common accessory vessels (as fig. 3). The most interesting specimen is a pair of bracelet clasps with triangular addition (nos. 10, 11) of bronze-gilt with silver disc at the point of the latter. That these belong together is shown by the occurrence of two similar sets at Harrington, Cambridgeshire,^* associated in one case with an ' applied ' brooch. These clasps have often been found in position on the wrists of skeletons and evidently served to fasten leather bands, and the triangular plate was purely ornamental. In removing a long strip of soil from the edge of Lord Ancaster's pit in 1 90 1, the workmen found a grave covered with stone slabs, which had apparently contained the body of a woman, the only relics being a small square-headed brooch (very like fig. 9 on plate), a 'long' brooch of the 6th century, also of bronze, and a rude bowl of pottery, 4. in across by 3 in. high, of an ordinary type but of uncertain significance. Covering-stones are not unfrequently found in localities where suitable stone could be procured, but it will suffice to mention examples at Medbourne, Wigston Magna, and Glen Parva, Leicestershire, as being not far removed from Rutland. During these operations Mr. Crowther-Beynon was happily present at the opening of two graves, which may be described at length in his own words : — The first was that of a person of some distinction. The skeleton was almost entirely gone, such portions of bone as remained being so decomposed as to be incapable of being handled. As ^ r'^^^^^ ^ has been frequently observed before, the enamel ^^^|^^ crowns of the teeth showed in this case their superior "^P^S^ capability of withstanding the ravages of time. The yt^^^^. "^Sv. body had been buried at full length, with the head y^-^ ^ ^-%w pointing nearly due west. Along the left side of C^'"^ -'-* '''^'^^^ the body had lain the warrior's spear, the pointed .■.-•■:> ^^% ."^ ur^-nm^^tLi- • ferrule of which was found near the feet, and the <j^^^3^^^^^^C^ ^^^^^^^^^^ socketed head, lOjin. long, about level with the ^^^^ "^y .-^ %cS^r skull. Between the spear and the body, or possibly ^^'9^^i^^^^g^^''^»a^(Q^^ overlying the latter, was a two-edged iron sword Fig. 4. — Iron Shield-boss, North of typical Anglo-Saxon shape and length (about Luffenham (^) " F.C.H. Beds, i, 180 (coloured pi. figs. 1 1, 13). " Figured in colours in Camb. Ant. Soc. Communications, v, pi. iv, fig. 4 ; pi. xi, fig. 2 ; evidently a woman's ornament. In one case the triangular plate is in one piece with the clasp. 99