Romano-British Period—Arms—Swords—Spears, etc.—Knives—FibulÆ—ArmillÆ—Torques of Gold, etc.—Other Personal Ornaments—Horse-shoes.

Of Arms but few examples are found in grave-mounds, although more abundant in the neighbourhood of Roman stations and towns. They consist of swords, daggers, spear-heads, and other weapons. They are, however, perhaps the most scarce of any remains of the period. The swords of bronze (figs. 299 and 300) which have frequently been ascribed to the British period, are now pretty generally admitted to belong possibly to Roman times. The examples engraved are of the most general type, as are also the next engravings of spear and lance heads. The first (fig. 301), which is of iron, is from Little Chester, where it was found along with human remains. Fig. 302 is of bronze, and is, as will be seen, of somewhat unusual form, and has a loop on either side. The next (fig. 303) is of bronze, and is three and a half inches long. It is of remarkably good form, deeply socketed, like the preceding example, and of a kind of leaf shape. Arrow-heads are also occasionally found. Of these the example here engraved is a good type. It is of bronze, and measures about an inch and a quarter in length.

Iron knives are occasionally found with interments. Some remarkable instances of this have been recently brought to light near Plymouth, and others again at Wetton and other places. The knives are of the form engraved on fig. 305. They appear to have had wooden handles, which, of course, except small traces of texture, have entirely decayed away. Another knife, although not actually found with an interment, shows the form so well that it is here engraved. It was nine and a half inches long, of peculiar shape, still retaining its handle of stag’s horn, rubbed or worn smooth; the good preservation of which we may attribute to having been imbedded in the fire-hardened earth, and sufficiently deep to secure it from injury by the fire. With the knives in the Plymouth cemetery were found portions of scissors, of the form of the sheep-shears of the present day, and these have also been found in other localities. They were of iron, and several fragments of other implements of the same material were at the same time discovered.

Of FibulÆ an almost endless variety in form, in size, and in material has at one time or other been exhumed. They are, however, but very occasionally found with interments. The most usual form, perhaps, is that which is commonly called harp-shaped, or bowed, and this is of such extreme variety that scarcely two examples out of the hundreds that are known are precisely alike. Several have a cross bar at the top, and are hence called “cruciform” (figs. 307, 310 to 312, and 315). Others have coiled springs of wire at the top, variously fashioned. Some of these are extremely complicated and ingenious, as will be seen by the engraved examples. The more simple of the twisted springs, a coiled spring only, formed by the end of the bow being attenuated into the pin, is known as the “rat-trap spring,” from its coiled resemblance to the spring used in those “vermin killers.” Examples to show this form are here given (figs. 313, 314, 316, and 317). This form of fibula is generally known as the “dolphin” shape. Occasionally wire only, twisted in like manner as recently reproduced for skeleton shawl pins, are found. Sometimes the fibula really assumed the form of an animal, a bird or a serpent, with an inflated body. One of this character is engraved on fig. 318. It is of one continuous piece of bronze, and the pin, having a coiled spring, answers to the tail of the serpent, and hooks into a projection on the neck.

The ornamentation is as varied as the form. Sometimes they are chased or engraved in minute patterns of rows of dots, scales, etc.; at others, enamelled or inlaid; and at others, again, raised ornaments are riveted upon their surface. Instances of S-shaped fibulÆ also occur, as do many other grotesque forms.

Circular fibulÆ are occasionally met with, and these, like the bowed forms, vary very considerably in design. Sometimes they are flat on the face, and enamelled or inlaid in different colours. One of the most curious, but elegant, modifications of the circular form is fig. 320, where the ends, which are serpents’ heads, are turned back to the sides of the body.

ArmillÆ, or bracelets, are found both in bronze, in silver, and in gold. They vary very considerably in form. Of these, one example (fig. 321) will be sufficient. The pair here represented are of base silver, and bear evidence of having been much worn. Examples of analogous type have been found at Castleford and other places. Other armlets partake more of the character of torques, torquis, or collar; and others, again, are simply bars of metal, twisted in one or more coils, like a spiral spring, around the wrist.

While speaking of armlets and torques, it may not be out of place, as I purposely omitted them in the Celtic division of this work, to say a few words about the latter. There can be no doubt that the torque was worn both by the ancient Briton and by his Roman conqueror, and therefore it is perhaps best, as it is at present not easy to say which of the known examples are to be attributed to the earlier and which to the later of these periods, to speak of them generally under this head.

The torque, or torquis, is said, by ancient writers, to have been first used by the Persians and by the nations of Northern and Western Europe. Virgil describes it as worn by the Trojans when they came to colonize Italy:—

It is first mentioned in Roman history in the year 360 B.C., when Manlius, having torn a torque of gold from the neck of a vanquished Gaul—here is evidence of its being a decoration worn by a similar race to our ancient British population before being spoken of in Roman history—placed it on his own, and received, from this circumstance, the name of Torquatus. From this time the practice was adopted in the wars with the Gauls—the example set by Torquatus Manlius being frequently followed by the Roman leaders,—and the torque being adopted as a reward for military merit. “The Roman writers speak of them as worn by the Britons; and the Queen of the Iceni, Boadicea, is described by Dion Cassius as having a torquis of gold round her neck. This was the metal of which they were usually made. They consisted of a long piece of gold, twisted or spiral, doubled back in the form of a short hook at each end, and then turned into the form of a circle.” The torque was known to, and worn by, the Egyptians, the Persians, Persepolitans, the Gauls, and the Britons, as well as, later on, to the Romans, and it was very usual, as is evident by the many examples which have been found, with the Irish celts. The most usual forms will be found engraved in the catalogue of the Royal Irish Academy, the largest known example measuring five feet seven inches in length. A remarkably fine example of this type, found on the borders of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, measures three feet nine and a quarter inches. Many other varieties are found, sometimes formed of square bars of gold twisted spirally, sometimes of flat bars of the same metal twisted in a lighter manner, and sometimes, again, of more than one bar twisted together. The ends, too, are of various forms: sometimes being simply hooks, and at others swelling out into cup-shaped terminations, and at others partaking of the form of a serpent’s head, etc. A very remarkable torque, now belonging to Her Majesty, was found in 1848 in Needwood Forest, and is here engraved (fig. 322). It is formed of eight cords of gold plaited together, and weighs 1 lb. 1 oz. 7 dwts. and 10 grains. Another example of a different character, from Ireland, is here given (fig. 323).

It is safer, perhaps, although there is no doubt that torques were worn by the Romans, to assign them to the British period than to that of their conquerors. Much, however, necessarily depends on the remains found with them, and the locality where discovered.

Other personal ornaments, and bone and bronze pins, hair-pins, etc., are occasionally found, but need no special notice here. Instruments of the toilette, too, are occasionally discovered. Prominent among these is the mirror, or speculum, which is sometimes found in the graves of Roman ladies. Among the most interesting of these are some found in a Roman cemetery at Plymouth. They consist of a circular plate of polished metal, generally of bronze set in a frame of the same metal or otherwise, and have a handle to hold them by. They are of much the same form as the small handled toilet glasses of the present day. The back was generally, as in the case of the Plymouth examples, “ornamented with a considerable quantity of scroll engraving. The pattern of one of these consists of three circular figures, the two bottom ones being larger than that which I take to be the central top one. Although each circular scroll differs from the others, they are evidently figured upon one general plan; the lines within, being segments of circles of various sizes, form crescents with various modifications. Some portions of the engraving, in order to give solidity to its character, were filled in with numerous striated spots, consisting of three lines one way and three lines at right angles to them. The entire surface of the mirror was surrounded by a narrow border or rim, which was formed of a separate piece, and folded over the margin. This specimen was damaged in many parts, particularly upon the under surface, and some of the edge was entirely eaten away, but where the rim was preserved the plate was not only in good preservation, but not even oxidized, retaining the bright colour of the bronze as perfectly as when, probably, in use by its ancient possessor. A second had the handle attached to it. The handle is cast in one piece in the form of a loop, having been made by folding one half back against the other, and securing them in that position by a band, the two free ends being spread out to hold the mirror, which is received in a groove, and supported on each side by a scroll work of bronze, of much of which, although lost, the impression still remains upon the plate. The greater diameter of the mirror is eight inches, that of the handle of the duplicate specimen, which is supposed to be of the same size as the missing handle, is four inches.” Several of these mirrors have been found in the cemeteries at Colchester and in other places.

Combs, both of wood and bone, are also found in the interments, as are strigils, tweezers, locks and keys of numberless forms and sizes, remains of small caskets, and a great many other articles. Of combs I shall say a few words when speaking of those of the Anglo-Saxon period.

Horse-shoes of this period are occasionally met with in interments when the horse has been buried with his rider, or otherwise. One example, so as to show the form, will be sufficient. It was found at Gloucester some years ago, along with the lamp and circular fibulÆ here engraved, and with other relics of the same period. Of the other articles it will not be necessary to make further mention.