THE SAXON CEMETERY AT BIFRONS. BY T. G. GODFREY-FAUSSETT, ESQ., F.S.A. DURING the year 1866 some workmen of the Marquis of Conyngham, while digging for a new plantation in that outlying part of Bifrons Park known as Patricksbourne Hill, disturbed a few Saxon graves, from which they secured some small relics of no great importance. His Lordship with great kind- ness communicated the discovery to our Society, and afterwards presented us with the relics, which are described and partly illustrated in our Sixth volume.* It being clear that the site of another of our East Kent Saxon cemeteries had thus been brought to light, a request was subsequently made to Lord Conyngham for leave to prosecute further researches at the same spot, which was again most liberally granted; and the autumn of the year being the time preferred for such an undertaking by the tenant of the lend, as best suitable to tho pasture, I commenced operations with the assistance of two labourers on October 21, 1867. The site of the cemetery lies about half way up the gentle slope of the hill, which at this point forms the southeastern side of the valley of the lesser Stour; V and is about a quarter of a mile higher up rim ssxou cmm-mar AT rumors. 299 the stream than where Pat:-icksbourne Church stands in the valley. It is noticeable that this vale of‘ the lesser Stour must have been peopled by flourishing settlements in those early days when the Saxons or Jutes of Kent were as yet Pagans, for to these days and to this state of religion we are constrained to refer such cemeteries as this. As high up the valley as Kingston, on a similar sloping hill at its side, Bryan Faussett found a similar cemetery; another exists along just such a slope in Bournc Park, not more than half a mile above these graves at 1’atricks- bourne, and has, from time to time, been partly explored by Lord Londesborough, Mr. Bell, and others ; a few such graves have also been lately found on this same Patricksbourne Hill, near Lord Conyng< harn’s keepe-r’s lodge, and nearly opposite Patricks- bournc Church ; and afew more some Way lower down the valley and on its opposite side, in :1 wood adjoin- ing the park of Howltts. Rich as East Kcnt is found to be in such relics, it may be doubted Whether so many of these burial places have been anywhere discovered lying together, as in this valley of the ‘lesser Stour. The ground on which we now began operations was perfectly smooth, and gave no outward indication of what lay beneath. For several years it had been laid in turf, but I could myself remember it as ploughed land, and in that condition it had remained long enough at least for every vestige of a tumulus to have been destroyed. The graves however were easy to be discovered by the use of an iron spear of the shape devised and adopted by Bryan Faussett ; for the hill was fortunately of chalk, with only a very slight layer of top soil, and any disturbance t . lb \,, H_ (;;sf,_('f', \¢:l‘g /. §>i',.¢,»- ,.> »~_i-.~,;‘.'_ ~- *: '2<§*:fi:L-J1‘ . W, *5 - 5 r 1 . =.-'-’~:' .,_~'-.=¢ * .. e S00 rm: snitch in the close and‘ hard stratum detectable by a thrust. We in our progress we grow of the extent and outline the occupied a spot on the hill side than the rest of the slope, apparently so, but perhaps aided by artificial means. There seemed to be remains of a slight ditch and bunk surrounding it, but scarcely distinguishable after many years of plough; this would enclose perhaps an acre or so of land. We found by for the greater number of the graves lying in a direction nearly N. and S., but with a slight inclination to the S.E. and N.W., the feet to the N. All cases of a different direction nrc instanced in my narrative below. The conclusion seemed wnrrantable that this general agreement of direction had no connection with the sun, or, as we should now say, the points of the compass, but was occasioned by the situation of the ground, and lay lengthways on the slope of the hill, parallel with the valley below. This is noticeable in many other such cemeteries, and is probably attributable merely to the saving of labour thus gained in digging to a level bottom on a hill-' side. It will be observed below that a few of the graves lay E. and W., a direction very inconveniently contrary to the remainder; and it occurred to me that these may possibly have been graves of the first Christians, who died before any separate burial place for members of their religion had. been established in that district. It is noticeable too that most of these con- tain no relics, and although this circumstance, as well as their varying direction, may be simply the result of carelessness or haste, it may not unreasonably be attributed to the absence of that Pagan superstition, J? if E. § ‘r THE QAXON with the body what or to WlSl'l for 1n lts future kind assistance was given the excavation by_tl_le Rev.‘ H. M. Adishzim, and by}-‘Mr. Brent, of Canterbury; and ‘ under their superintendence manyrof the graves were opened. We examined about a hundred in all. During part of the time Lord‘ Oonyngham’s gamekeeper was opening others on behalf of his Lordship himself; doing his work with great care and attention, and getting together :1 very pretty collection now at Bifrons. Being however an uneducated man, he was unable to preserve notes of the contents of each grave, and of the positions and circumstances in which the relics were found; and this diminishes the value and historical usefulness of Lord Gonyngham’s collection, as of so many others of older date. . Among the peculiarities connected with this cemetery it was observable that the brooches were almost invariably discovered in pairs, the two exactly alike, whether circular or cl‘ the hammer shape. I have ventured to call by this latter name that character of brooch which other Writers have called either ‘cruciform ’ or ‘ tau-shaped’; for to the name of cruciform there seems no claim in their shape, and it has been used byithose who would fain see evidence of Christianity in their design; While to name them tau-shaped gives a distinctly wrong im- pression of the position in which they were worn, describing them in fact upside down. The shape is the most simple nnd natural possible, and has clearly ' no connection with any sentiment, nor is intended to represent any other object'whatever. It is simply a shield to the pin, widening and narrowing with the ~;,-,1-v, in ' . .. .»; §._;,‘::-.'(. , . *1 .5», mix»-.~::: ".2-F \-*\f‘!;:;f-5-:~ i<‘i’§‘ F3-*li=>.‘-.‘:».:-: .i5{'v;".'.:‘¢%l' ."~_'v~c‘;*.* ' ~.'I~ ‘ifhh. . ' ‘*3-s: rifffrs-'.~;$ - ‘~: H ='.~“:‘ i 'i1li1'\l‘f.‘i‘. I - .'w,1'-:= ~ '- ;j,~%,z\,.n"»,1§1=Sl?1 .1; ‘§?';;,;;\~‘t§»z .’.:'~,<,» .,," :'<‘ or '=.‘*‘l*T4{¢ _\\r flu». ‘ s c we .5’ “Q4 Wr‘-ii‘-.= '~= ' 3, I -. re '“':-> ‘ct 1 . . ,.o3~- , 1; . 4.:-.w\.._;1I\. -.~_- ....__-....,~e.4-_-.-_...v.._;a.._§4_»-__. ,_~__ 5 "7/"““*“-‘-“@??‘“““"‘“‘f , . "3 802 min ssxou onmnrnnv Au: nmaons. shape of the pin and its adjuncts. The position, therefore, with the point turned upwards, in which I have always found it, without, so far as I remember, a single exception, is easily understood, as rendering the point visible while being fastened. Hammer-shaped seems the most convenient simile,-—provided always that no one will connect it with the worship of Thor the Halnmerer. V Another peculiarity was the frequency of the crystal ball and perforated spoon found in juxta- position, and invariably between the thigh bones of a female skeleton. N o fewer than five such cases occurred in the graves opened by myself, and at least two more in those worked by the gamekeeper,—a most u.nusua.lly large proportion. It seems clear that they point to some peculiar rite, and were more than mere personal ornaments, however indisposed one may feel to give any adhesion to the fantastic theories of their supposed magical properties in which writers have indulged. Some interesting and, l believe, new circumstances connected with this type of relic will be found under some of the graves, but I confess to having been unable to weave them into any theory of my own. I now proceed with my narrative of the graves and their contents, as opened in order. Guvn 1. Skeleton aboutfi feet 4» inches in height. Grave 2 feet 41 inches in depth. Near the hands a knife; near the _ _ V_ waist a bronze buckle, of which the tongue had been iron, and a small bronze stud or boss, of oval I '1 shape, with raised centre containing a flat piece. ‘~ ' '~ of red glass set in its front; it was apparently ~ once ‘fastened to a strap behind. By the left ear s. glass drinking cup of delicate green colour, with an opaque Ix t _ PLATXE i J l . Q rs a -s, '»- "4 . ,.~".i£“r.'. l‘ , W Jlv‘.|».|.1'-- ‘ " *“<:'.¢»-, M 1 , aw‘.-»‘ J $1,».-.l ‘ ,l‘tt<'t' " l - ~ , .11. P, u' "i '—*-’_"‘fl W***""“ l a -§-=2 | E .t:a.fi'i "J21: ;~ ='.-FT" ‘In ' if ai..,;=»:i.t-‘ L : . ~r:'.:1::'., ~ I LI ‘ at »,"‘,,'.‘1é“;'-"FT"!,1-5’ it . ,1: V i. ,5-§_.;,==~ ‘*»:r.,|,-M" ~i,-' J, ; .‘-1 _ ,,,..,,,,, ,.,. ., 51-3'1; '_ ' »§*7=l3_*i-'i.*?.11;\i‘=i§i. , . ..: [_=‘_.€=-'-7i".¢,;\a.' :;7¢§¥E _. ~;-__-,1» 7-;l_.:;¢,; .,,:,--3"'- 3i_.‘,:t=,iF§" r>?;§§_=5"§%1::i,-¢:ii"=‘ 1 ’\ ‘ /T‘ . ‘f: *_1:1'1%,;;‘-;.*,-r"TEA‘ i ‘ \'kl; '-,- ‘:,':'FT."- KS .; i:-s= /any-'--K rs‘ *-be 6 43. '>€>n-L F=?,_'!,' =.- !/= ‘hit ‘l Q1 . _ ~,___>-.¥‘:l‘_=_ V . > L", _ , I V =_--.$._+* ;__1:%;_;— =5‘, 1 '_,;», . - - //': \ - . ~ i ff» - ‘I ,! :‘_’=3§ :- svook Ah"! UIlYS'LA‘L in-L, anon!-S‘! AFB Rlnucrrlm Grave IL H, l,.,- , ‘a : 931: w , '» ;: :1 l .,, , -1; Ya- , '1, Z I i 1 THE AT BIFRONSZ down the side. at the lip 24- inehes, at the bottom. It lay . wit ear, and the hp to the (Plate _ feet high. _ Grave a little more than Grave shallow No relics, 3'feet 6 inches deep; Near the middle a an iron aw], and what ‘Was apparently the of a pair of iron shears. 5. Slieletoh almost decayed. Grave more than 7 feet in length. Between two bronze keys; near them a bronze buckle; and above this two small circular b;-‘ooches,,0'f bronze gilt and of slightly dished shape, each embossed 'with_ o. rude face in full front : the pair are exactly alikc. A knife and a few other iron fragments, one probably another key. On the left side of the chest a long bronze pin; and near the left shoulder four loose‘ beads, one of green glass, and another fixed on a thin bronze ring, possibly an ear-ring. 6. Skeleton certainly a Woman’s. Grave 8 feet in length. Between the thigh bones was lying, with its back upwards, a spnun, with eight small perforations in the bowl, arranged cruoiforrnly: it is apparently of bronze, silvercrl over, and ha a thin bronze ring attached to a loop at the top of the handle. Under its bowl lay a small crystal bull, perforated as for hanging, and under this a heap of thirty-nine small beads, mostly of green and blue glass, with one larger of amber, probably the chain from which the crystal ball was hung. Just above the left wrist was a bronzg bracelet, on the left side two hammer-shayerl bronze brooches, nearly alike, but one longer than the other; on the middle of the chest a. fiat circular brooch, also of bronze, engraved with a rude circular pattern; and near this a small triangular bronze plate, with remains of wood attached to it. At the left shoulder an iron pin, and below this an irou buckle. At the forehead a. large ivory bead. ' 7. A ch.ilcl’s skeleton. Grave lying E. and W., with head to W. No relics. 4 Skeleton a '1 '-Bl.-I?‘ £1 - ;;~;~ as _7_;_ _ 1: ‘:1 W . . , >. '¢;~;, *4 .11" =»- 7555 ._.'-‘cl!’-U: - -tee, ,»,¢ : ' $51" ,""i‘i" ,r‘,“:1>§._nk-1%: 1 ,1; <3? ‘f Jzahr , . , , r»$§.* ;=¢~. -@532‘, .j;.=" " s ;=‘;.¢_ -, ;, ~ 131,: gal; Q‘? ‘i ' r H ,3; i;‘;i;‘, . 35 . » :,\ , , ~,_;3' sfi. M s»¢@-#»s&*==a- ‘; 21‘ = .~_ #2 ¢5|; '5 2;? . ’ *'l“5.-- ,, '3 ,e~ 4* , 0 . l s d l i ' 304, ran ssxon CEMETERY AT nxrnoivs. yi -' 151;; l 8. Grave 3 feet deep, apparently a woinan’s. No relics. 9_. Grave 2 feet 6 inches deep. Under the skeleton two or three inches more of loose chalk. N0 relics. _ I I 1 _} _ 10. Skeleton 5 feet 9 inches -in t T. I ¢i;;=i;;_ length lying with its legs crossed. I _. E »")='(';;_‘ G-mve,2 fcet 3 inches in depth. Under ‘ 1 ll vb‘? the backbone a bronze buckle, At the =.* V ii " _ left side three thin bronze plates about ‘ H‘ _ I " " \’ one inch square, and at the right elbow ( ' 1‘? ii aknife. I [Ll ii. Skeleton quite e- feet iulengtl1.l>\1t unseemly that "Y ‘ Ii cl the ' ' a woman. Grave nearly 3 feet deep; U11 91‘ ' /J7: - waist a bronze buckle and two little bronze studs, all A {ii ”"“*‘N retaining traces of Ending, and with l‘he_“9 fragments ’ Z3?‘ ' apparently of leather, Pmbably Pa“ °f 5‘ belt‘ At ' -i ' the left side a knife. b h _ ' 12_ G1-We 3 feet deep. Near the waist two bronze ruoc e: - I I fl‘; - < xi ‘ 7‘.r=tfi-' . *» ._:=..;%} b. 52%?" -» _'I,;...“~? * a_ " _ .7_~‘~t*':_;:2.--< t, %. - '\,l"._l\\ r\ .-' - . i ,'.V.i_'; P '. -H :: ;:" 1 ' ‘fl <5, “J: I .1 _ . -.~. .'/l‘ A ' E’ . \§s ‘ ),,,.,;.* . ;. ~ ‘Hi ' .}: _ C1 d .1 _ .».- mam t d 'th tesque sna es ea - _ _ (linif6,lm's"'1=/1 * On . *5? 15. Grave of a woman. Between the legs 3o beads. “KP the left fore arm three ironrings, and close by a lcnéfe, vgth Zemams of a. wootens . Nearthe knit wais asma rectangular " " " " bronze brooch, set with five pieces of glass, now colourless; its pin is also of bronze. Near it a-small flat cir- cular plate of bronze, perforated in the middle, and by this a bronze ferrule about half-an-inch in length. On each side of the neck :1 bronze brooch of the hammer shape, but more nearly resembling ii. Roman type. In an empty space of the grave, beyond the head, and among some dark soil which was probably hair, a long pin of bronze, almost exactly like that of Grave 5; and near it 21. small bronze plate, bent to the shape of the binding of a book, and enclosing remains fipl fastened in by two rivets. 16‘ The skeleton in this grave was much displaced ‘r‘.'= ' and mutilated: it {'1' ’JCJ la on't 'd »,» -6 -y ‘S S‘ °' .:.v:(:/‘_.;_-_---A with the knee f pointed forward if-J. I ,; andtliefootbaclo ward, but with H r - only one foot and fore-legbonc: the 33 top of the skull was also severerl from the head, and was lying in exactly reversed position. Near the left hand was a single bead. VOL. X. . ‘. ¢ l. If ‘W ‘m: ii i J1?“ fl»? lit"-' illillili ;; *l' iarently of wood -it?/» hi - i-:i‘."22 ,;.";i'>‘.':.__.:'.,..i . ye; Em-,;‘:. 2‘ X * <=.§fi 2 ~ i r ‘~ u ‘J s , 2 . out-x». 1 .'¢{;;5, ' '7 -an 7. Z‘/-Y3‘)? .. s. V x . P =.'.‘_“ . 5:-1 , . - K :~ 2 ea - v.~ htsy >» rs. - \ . .~ 1- "5;-._ l.,-;;.e==;‘.=.1:-,»;!~¢,:.._i ,3-:2‘::».w,':.-,-Li 1»-¢=,-1-=:l**¢s¢="'_=;@-#t¥:+##t+ it 306 THE SAXON CEMETERY AT IBITBON5 At the right slhouklcr a flat breach of the engraved with small circular omaments, and at the shoulder anmher firooch of a modifieatiqn pf the hammer shape: both are of bronze. _ _V _ 17. Down both sides of the skeleton, and aerossthe top of the ekulI,»tl;ere wens distinctly and I - coutiz1uouely_ noticeable in this giave ""7141:-Ml traces of black soil, of .wllleh,I have observed less remarkable imtunceg in other graves. They seen; beyond e doubtto be remains of a wooden wllill. either shoulder 5, beonze ‘~ fizw ‘H.:“;=;£;“ lvroocirof the ring shape, and a few "'-"'=l"' ' beads on the neck, mostly Of Porce, 1aln. _ ' 18. Grave 3 feet 41 _ inches deep, lyinglower 3 .> 4 down the ‘hill than the _ _ l general greup. No relics. I: 1 19. Grave 3 feet ' ""‘;"=";"'!"" inches deep. No relics. 20. Grave of a ehild. No relics. 21. Near the waist a large bead of brown glass “ti - 1J:ll:E3 49,‘ . a l will M32: llii tl»!';' 1:3? ?> A 2".»- ié ‘ , ;§ ‘=;a'* a knife, a ring, some bronze studs, and frag- ments of iron. At the neck ayfew beads and two remarkable brooches of the 2-P" ~~<'-A: V4.4./,w-:5 ll 1"» " ' ' of pure gold the ehfipe. into they have clearly been interwnven into some _éi1bst=_mce of nature of‘ a fibenfl; _ ure that a burial of whiflll has} perished. Their gold p seine 1300 years had not diseolonrecl it in the least. At the left ‘side of the head a circular bronze dish, much brbken _am1 decayed, surmunded by remains of wood, as if it had formed the inter-iorlining of a wooden vessel. In sifting the rubbish was found an iron key. 22. At the left wrist :1. few beads, mostly of amber, and by the left side a knife and two little plates of bronze, perhaps part of the handle. Near the waist a. buckle and belt ornament, both of bronze silvered over; the ornament is fiat and slightly, dished, and rudely engraved, and the broad root of the buckles tongue is decorated to correspbnd. ll 1 4 4‘ ‘T \ \ 115‘; ill. 2; ‘ 0 ,~ v‘.l';., vflfi. .4 -_ v ;/ ¢ : -k -. "=5. '\ ' ‘ ' 1" ~' »,»~;.'>' ‘ l. V 23. Grave of a woman; very shallow. At the left hip a. X 2 ' 14 '5 1‘ ~ , »-2 T36“ . 'Zi$¢<> Y ' .1;-.l <1’ 5‘-. \4,¢ Mil F1; , . . , . . . . - v i 7. ;,_ .. ' .~ . .. 1‘-ii, ;,, +—, ;*-.*:‘. .. .,, _ .. ,. ., ‘» " 1 : _. -4- . ~.,,_ .,,»;.. , ~_ , ,‘l -1*-/7 ‘fg ~~ . .~' .,.\ -. ,' : 1-"P 1 i .. - 1;-I1.:~»:'**-A st r ~~= » WM". :<.»'~,-'».‘»¢i- :1~'. ~ M \. \,,,;‘. -.1-s . i ‘ - ~. I g.». -I, ,t-:~ -» :»_-'-,.».-~;~:~,~.r.\ .. I _<~,; i , i .~ *1 .- .~ ~. » as -, ~ §»T%i1* ‘-. mg V = , " M‘ 1 ~ " . 'T 308 ,. _ _ ' _, v_i{i“‘,'[.l""'. l " - till?! {=3 <.,i> _l§:. alibi ..el = $7» ' up _ ill n7,'l 49'- rnn ssxononnnranr 4r nrrnons . . perforated object of baked clay, and of n low conical shape ; perhaps a fIpl11(ll6- whorl. Near the middle of the grave a bronze buckle of peculiar shape, with pin of iron; a bronze brooch of the hammer shape, very much resembling those of Grave 15, and a peculiar orna- ment of bronze, representing a dog of the greyhound type catching a hare by the tail: it is of fiat oblong shape, and is slit laterally through a great part of its width, exactly in the fashion of the handle of a. clasp knife, which it has probably been, although the absence of any_ stain of iron rust makes it probable that therblade was gone before burial. Battely gives us two‘ specimens precisely similar found at Reculver, and believed by him to be Roman ;* and Mr. Roach Smith, in illustrating‘ these in his own work on Reculvcr, figures another from Hadstock in Essex,+ but without giving the circumstances of its discovery. A fourth, taken from a. grave certainly Saxon, is described and figured by Douglas in the ‘Nenia Britannica/I so that the balance of evidence . seems in favour of their Saxon origin. 1 $- ‘O 24. By the left side a sword, and lying half way up it :1 kni.fe, as though a double sheath may have held both. By the right shoulder a spear head, and a flat piece of iron by the left foot, with traces of wood on both sides of it ; this may possibly have been a sharpened ferrule to*thc_spear. ' Antiqpflutup. p. 84; tab. 3, fig. B. 1- ‘ Richborough, Reculver, and Lymne,‘ p. 207. i 1: P. s2, and pl. xx. é s i i s i ll l l r . ' THE SAXON CEMETERY AT ZBIFRONS i 25. Grave of B child ;§ skeleton quite decayed. At the left side s. knife. Near the head two bugle beads, and a very small bronze plate, which crumbled to dust at once. - v 26. Grave of a child, and very shallow. Near the hands a knife and an iron ring. , K 27. Grave 2 feet 2 inches in depth. Skeleton only n little over'5 feet in length, and with legs evidently deformed. It lay E. and W. with the head W. On the chest a large knife or dagger, and lying across it a piece of iron curved at the end; alo, close by, a straight pin of iron, perhaps an owl. On the left fore-arm a bronze buckle, with fragments apparently of leather in its immediate neighbourhood preserved by its rust. It has three rivets at its hack, fastening to the belt. On the left shoulder a spear head. 28. At the waist a bronze buckle of ordinary type. At the neck some beads. 29. Grave of s. woman, 9 feet in length, including a space of 1 foot above the head, in which was dark soil as of a body, not improhahly that of a. baby. At the left side a Roman bronze coin, much worn. Near the waist two hammer-shaped brooches, with rounded lower .,., ends, each throwing out five Q‘ radiating points, and very strongly resembling those of -'=:~ - Grave 21, but without the _ M. y settings of red glass. Rather 4' higher lay a group of iron =< cu '-'.- ,"-%_“€1."1.‘ ."__-"-_'~.z<.'-.-'-;= .@ _ . ._)-:>~ "---1-5,./A'!"“?‘"} ‘ J’ Z?) Under the waist a bronze bur: fragments of leather close by. objects, consisting of three keys (one broken to pieces), a knife, two iron rings, and lying flat against the larger of the two a small diamond-shaped plate of iron, perforated in the centre. kle of rectangular shape, with On the right arm a thin arlnlet of bronze. At the neck a cluster of beads, nearly all of amber, .,\.~k fir-.,. r he rt‘ "'»<. - .1. c ~:; ‘era @,. . .»-_:.:, .=- : 1 ',-. Pan‘? =q-. tr .. , . '.>‘.>.,l‘;.n '".-'1‘ ‘W - . my - ~= V :__.. 31%;‘ . '5 -. wt» ~ 2//1 it .1 < L, to . r t "1 - ,. . ; ~ ~s=>.1§ 1' o aw s ,. .. .~ -¢4'.‘f7H~ > , 1-», -w ' 1, A/:L7->/-¥‘*»'r~ ~ H/(,“" .> '"-> 310 THE SAXON cnunmnv AT Bmnoizs __ V ltlnl, .possii)ly fw I ‘ _ 1'35 sion these are exactly alike, and ..=.-<"[»hi' p ',_,||"[\_‘{{' hammered from the same “"'"°" and these ‘and the largest bear “‘==» "“" that broken type of ornamentn. m tion wl1ich'writers have ,, , compared to fragmentary Q _..J»,H. . ,__ \ snakes, but which com- '.‘\§ Pam“ °f “law "Peei- !..l‘:' ‘ - ll_ mens shews pretty con- ga} clusively to be me]-gly "I--......-1-\' -. r-1* 0 . . . ‘ blundered imitation of _ figures from classical . Coins, not improhahly Greek, rude an °°PY being taken from rude copy, till all trace of the original design was ‘ ‘ _ lost. The fourth is a. very remark- ~able instance, and has already been engraved in our Eighth Volulne,* _ _ ~ . in illustration of Mr. Haigh’s_ paper on ;RJ1'l10SZ.1t 1S believed by him, on jcqmpm-ism, with other similar designs, to represent a fall_ei_1"gnem_y in an attitude °f _5"PP1w=m0n.. On the head flrsginents of gold wire or braid, ghich have evidently been interiyoven p rihand, as in rave 21. At the neck two small ronnd brooches, of common Kentzsh typo, each set with one central and three radiating P199“ °f Ted 811185 ill raised settings’; but in one brooch the gloss is lost, showing an 11!1dersel7ti_ng of tinfoil-, evgdantly to l'T_mE "'1'? the tl"“n5P“C11‘7Y ‘if the glass. On one hand as thin spiral silver ring, much broken; onthe other a plain thin ring of the same metal. i 30. ‘Much black soil on the left side of the grave. A knife, ‘md_““ mm b“°kle: fitting °Il ‘he tflflgme of which was u ferrule or ring of bronze. V "' ‘ Arch. C‘ant.,‘ vol. vm., 1;, 195, _._ >,,___ _ M _,__ ‘W’. _.. .. ._ V W.-.11» — ii’ i*KE'sA_x_o1v common? AT mmons. ' 31. Grave of schild, 3-feet 8 inches in depth. Near the left bend a knife, an iron ring, and fragments apparently of. keys. Beads at the neck. ’ - 32. Grave of a woman, with much black soil as of wood enclosing the skeleton, clearly £1. cofiini Under the left knee some beads, mostly of amber. At the left side a knife, a few -fragments of iron, and a ring or large bead of ivory, upon which lay a small diamond-shaped plate of iron, perforated in ‘the middle, and apparently strung on the same string. On the chest two small Roman coins, one of which has preserved the texture of the dress adhering to it. 33. Grave of n_ child. A few beads at the neck, one of peculiarly bright blue glass. 34. Grave 7 feet 10 inches in length, 3 feet 2 inches in depth. At the waist a bronze buckle, and on the chest e short knife. On the left side of the chest a spear-head, and the iron umbo of a shield, pointing upwards, with the iron handle below it, and iron braces or supports of the shield lying towardsthe head and feet, but not laterally. From the position of the umbo, close to the wall of the grave, the shape of the shield could not have been circular, and the absence of any braces extending laterally confirms this view. Near this u piece of i bronze plating, bent double, much resembling that in Grave 154 __,-;,_‘ _,, 35. By the right leg two hronze fags or rivets, containing pins of bronze, which . have apparently secured them to a. strap. Near the‘ weiist an amber bead, a knife, and another fragrneiit of iron. Near the ”‘%l~"“i head an amber bead. 36. Grave of a child. One glass bead of pretty design, at the neck. . i 37. Grave 3 feet 6 inches in depth ;- the bones entirely decayed. The iron umlio of a shield, with iron studs or rivets, but no braces as in Giave 34-. This lay again so close to the loft side of the grave that the shape of the shield must necessarily have been either oval or oblong. The iron handle of the shield lay as before iinclcr the umbo, and near it some small bronze studs, ptobably part of the shield. Near the feet the ferrule of a spear, and its head beside the right chock. . mg; t . oz _..e I T. ‘l ;¢i;:_~-.5. - - ii : 1:. K53‘ ' E ,. i-F1-'1;-. < 5? 2. 1J1‘.a;lj-E ?1i.";~'.,<,' 4; -'3); "4\ 1 . +2 >2 " ;»‘;*-.., ‘I l -: V seié ‘_‘ 7""; .‘ ; 1 H . ."¢=-:_ e;:.=::~ r >1 '#i=‘2-‘)2: ” 3 run SAXON onunrnnr AT slraous Near the waist a bronze buckle and a knife. Near the wrists s thin iron ring, and on thetop of the head a larger one Down the left side much light brown remains of wood, posibly of a how, having nothing corresponding ‘on the right side to suggest a cofiin. ' ' 38. Grave of a woman, but the bones were almost decayed away. Traces of wood down thcleft side. -Under the waist s. bronze buckle with two bronze tags and traces of leather about them. At the neck u few heads. 39. Down the left side lay a good sword with a kill of bronze partly silvered and partly gilt, and near, it three fiat ornaments of silver gilt and two of bronze, all attached to what !‘ To-. I seems to be the remains of leather, and was l‘ probably the sword-belt. The three silver Q‘ ornaments are alike, eixcept in their chased i ornamentation. I have engraved n full re- 1, presentation of one, with side ‘view, shewing "““""' " " the manner in which it held the belt; of the other two I have given the ornamentation only. It will bc observed that both ou:tlle'sword hilt and on one of the ornaments occur instances‘ of the Aryan religious symbol called the ”suastika,”-well known as representing the primi. tive wooden machine‘ for-producing fire friction, and used as typical of heat-jslid life. The other -ornaments also bear Aryan designs, especially the zigzag character supposed to represent lightning. These and similar Aryan symbols are not altogether unusual on the ornaments of the early Teutonic races, hut have hitherto been more often found on Scandinavian than on Anglican relics. Three instance of the former will befound engraved in Mr. Haigh's paper in our Eighth Volume.* In England theyare much‘ rarer, and I believe this to he a unique instance of their discovery among the Jntes of Kent. _____m |; Close to thesword lay the iron F ' "V-3." I‘ '"“?§‘»\ umbo, handle, and braces of a If.‘ "y I shiel§l,_which'again could scarcely I» 5 ‘ ) ' ‘W have been circular. At the feet two 4 Q, —- - " A _ -- »l_:nives,' two iron nails, and an iron * ‘Arch. Cant," vnL vm., pp. 180, I81; 262, F 1?} ?§;7.Y ' -—:-ws-I 4~/ ‘rfir; w ‘ Qiggc 4__,_,_,\ . wt [U14 B AA'\ .'-~ -- ~"»'-" ,E"'W~ l -= > 1‘. ;.=.~ ; .‘ "ll, ‘l ___, .' -, .- . . _ .\ l .1; l! ¢ . . 1 .-.= .;r\.~; - 5» =- ‘_ V _ 3 _ vii, 4; ‘ -- - _-: . ‘i_;;J;iE_”_‘4; Q E ,n.,.,4..._._.,.,_. . ’ .- .~ VI - 1'4- " ~.- - I I l 1: - \€ : 1 :i law é’ l lf m“ 1% :*' 315.; . '_'- :»: is» ,=--. E _1f:::“: I 1 2. s*:l-.5? 111 . §f:"_ gb_.- . , ii I ::::::-¢_.........:. 2.... fjgr l . i l\car studs, also two the ends of a meant apparentlyto make 1t easier to push them through the buckle. On the chest a knife and some other unchstinguishablc iron objects. 41 By the left slde of knife, an iron key, and two iron rings, and -near them an iron buckle with a bronze ferrule on the tongue as in Grave 30. On the chest to,,wards the right‘ side a large hammer-shaped bronze brooch elaborately embossed, - which came out of the grave in the three pieces in which it 'had been originally manufactured, the soldering or cement " ‘having decayed. ‘The three divisions are _ given in the engraving of its reverse side. ‘l“._[.;?i" _ Two smaller branches of the same shape, .=_.; V of bronze much gilt and set with pieces ‘ 5: Q)‘ of red glass; one of- these had lost its I ‘- point, apparently before burial. Near them ‘.\_(‘.'§l , -J-‘—.. lay too another very small : if -' \~,7*.»‘ A 1,“ I/"= branch of bronze, shaped. to represent an eagle, or other‘ '_ p; bird with shocked beak. Its ,- jg, 5? pin points to the bird's head, '___ i_’_'l:;'T_'*f:__'?__». confirming my remark in the preface, derived from the posi- ii tion inywhich hammer-shaped brooches are found, that the longer brooches pointed their pins upwards. Also :1 buckle, s strap-tongue, and a small tag or rivet, all of bronze, and four small brass Roman coins. At the feet a few beads, mostly of bugle shape, and near them a flat circular disc or counter, apparently of a black stone polished, which may possibly have been a. touchstone for assaying gold. At the head another series of beads, principally amber, and among them a few links of a bronze chain; one of these beads is a large one of green glass nearly an inch in diameter, and a very |—-- . ii? g . x . , ‘ ’l R ’ ' l b .1» r 1" ‘J -. ' if m ts’ ».. =; {J--5‘ S‘-‘=4 1-W; . . ., ;.. - e r 1 . 4. \ T‘ 1 i -.- e t %¥:‘G,'B'@ t .5 x \ 1 l ll 1 7 l 3 31-1, mm: ssxox on-M1-:'rnnY AT ‘beautiful specimen. Here also was some part of a ribancl. On a left finger Somewhere in the grave was at and by the head a very beautiful inches in {height and 2% inches in diameter at the tapering in hell-shaped form to a point at the other end. (Pl. II.) The other end however seems to he broken at the tip, and not improbalaly once ended in -a small circular boss, like that similar but more elaborate cup fr0m"Grave iv. in the Sarr Cemetery, figured at p. 316 of our Fifth Volume. 4-2. Grave 7 feet in length and 3 feet in depth. It lay close by the side of the last grave, so tl.\&t‘p0§sllJly the two may have been under one tumulus. Both seemed more carefully and regularly dug than most of their neighbours. By the right foot were fragments apparently of ivory. Between the thigh bones lay a spoon of silver gilt, perforated in the bowl with nine small holes in cruciform pattern, and ornamented with red glass in :1 raised setting at the junction of the handle and bowl. I It is inlaid up the front of the handle with something resembling niello work 5 and the top of the handle has a thin silver ring as for suspension. Close to it was ii crystal ball surrounded by two flat silver rings, which unite at the top in a raised ornament perforated to admit a ring of silver wire for suspension. At the left side of the legs were two knives, an iron key, an iron buckle, and some other iron fragments; and near them a small counter of green porcelain, rather bmken. On a finger of the right hand a ring of silver gilt, set with a r;>'- “.-‘,1.-;u~.-» -»j ‘ ' /'." , ‘ sn_LQ_;1._‘ p ,. . _»-=1, red stone or piece of glass, and exactly the shape of a modern /4.a'"~--._‘ . 3 =-> K4 ‘ ‘ . . _ . ».:j _'=z:a::;-' . _ f "E" 1 "§»I~ X ' ,r~~,::: __ ' V 1 1 Z1 “K “J ilk v!1'fl'EITI_I§l!I' *':—,.~¢.» ‘rli 4 ~ 9 .....i..--_-_~ W swoon um CYTVIAI. nn.L. Gm-142. gel; 4:: E ii . -ti :‘;_'i=2 53:1: 1-ilié. 1-ii-E; :3?‘-1;: ‘i?*‘1 . 4).! _ _ Y _ _ __‘“_"N§flw__;_LH_”__T“_b___!____“fl__ng¢_M‘_">|q&‘m¢_lY%Phv€_ R ‘__\u_h__fl_{~ _ h__ I _ ‘ _ _ Q‘ t fix“ £m_A}_m:_ Ry :3 M A kg“ ‘ _ * _ __ _"_ HQ" _ >2 V _ __fl$ __ __ K W: ‘ \A_I_‘_M V I _ v_,_&M_€%_§“v_ §_%§_§_%_?_‘Mr Niki 4% yak ) 2_____€ _ , __ Q I 5 “Mr 3? ) z U“? I _ V v m__My__*_kd¢ “_5m"y &¢w§bH%_¢ A S 2 A T, __%mvM_m_ _ h_ L §1W“M‘% _ W _ W FM V!” s My M Q LN almm ‘M 1; ’ W t =1-5 '»j:‘ »:=:;¢ ~ $1’ .’_,,__._ ._},, I » »~ 545:,-,. ...“ . ¢},,__,, ‘J ii 1. ii -4n¢~»,z».,;;:;::1~;:. 1? 1.» 5% ii 41 i h THE SAXON CEMETERY AT BIFHONB. ’ -' ' — slgnet ring , and on a finger of the left hend a plain ring of silver. Near the _-f ' I » waist two hammer-sbepefl brooches of bronze, silver-ed and gilt, Hllil set L, E .1, ‘i ' with the usual red glass; the pins of ‘ both are of bronze, and they are " exactly alike in all reslieets; Near these also were at buckle anti two _ stucls of bronze, and s. small circular ' plate of bronze with a. hole through ‘M’ 4 1n.+-Z. _-_-v;_,, _.;¥;‘_.", \ ei- | A ‘ )WY‘?2:w!l.~%:v-jljfnl X *’;' the middle; and with them =1 small :;p;___¢_,:\,,1(; ‘ = '-gq 1!‘ brass Roman coin. Up the chest and \ to the neck a large quantity of beads of different materials, glass, porcelain, earthenmmre, and amber; and among ‘Hf the last one fine circular flat bead, nearly an inch in diameter. With the beads were two small circular brooches, both set with TCI1 glass ; one is of iron, the other of bronze gilt. 43. Grave about 4 feet in width and 3 feet in depth; it contained two skeletons lying side hy side. With the left skeleton no relics. Witli the right were two spear heads at the right shoulder, one of a 1 ger size than usual; and at the right foot one ferrule ar only. Lying crossways on the stomach were a dagger _§»~.,.;¢=.» 7; nae‘ e__= El‘ . . . - __;~_, ?éf§_,:;~ i~ and It knife, in a position as if one wooden sheath, of ' which there were traces, had held them both. Near the __-4* ~. . ‘"1 Hm ' 1,11: “E 1 Q i rmi , 1“-‘= Waist o bronze buckle, with long ornamental fastening of win; '5 ii‘ the some metal, into which M ii H l H 4 the belt has fitted and been riveted ; with two other belt ornaments of the same yattern and metal, through which the belt has passed in the same manner ; with them n bronze strap-tongue. 44. Grave of st ehilrl and very shallow; the skeleton quite decayed away. Near the neck a few heads. 5 , »»-=4». < . rt :1; ~_;<_';v , ii h - Z c. -<=;i ; 1 ~ J” 1 l ., ~ oi. 14 \ ‘ I 1? ., _{_ \ W - -,1 5' ‘L! .1 - ‘ii ,1-It #9 4]‘ 1 ~ n , u -5 ii- — x