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Archaeologia Cantiana -  Vol. 69  1955  page 11

THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE    By Alan Warhurst, B.A., A.M.A.
   A small bronze buckle (Fig. 8, No. 3) at the left waist.
   An iron axe-head (Fig. 4, No 6) found standing vertically, blade downwards, at the right arm.
   GRAVE 8. A man, 5ft. 9 in.; 45-50 years of age; this skeleton had been disturbed at an unknown date above the knees and the bones above this point were found in confusion in the backfill; the left leg crossed over the right at the ankle; 91 deg., 2ft. 0 in. deep.
   No finds.
   GRAVE 9. A woman; over 60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis, head pillowed; 79 deg., I ft. 9 in. deep.
   Finds. A silver plated bronze buckle (Fig. 8, No. 2) with two small bronze rivets, 1/8 in. long, which fastened the end of the belt after it had passed round the stem of the buckle. The tongue of the buckle, which pointed right, was hinged by a curved projection from its base1.
   GRAVE 10. A woman over 60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis; 81 deg., 1ft. 8 in. deep.
   Finds. A flat penannular brooch (Fig. 7) at the right shoulder. The ends of the brooch were doubled back to house the point of the iron pin, now missing, which was hinged through a small hole at the opposite side. The scheme of decoration indicates that the two folds were of equal size originally, but one of them was broken off by constant use

and the break subsequently worn smooth and  later patinated The brooch was, therefore, old when buried. The hinge-hole could only have accommodated a thin pin which could not have supported a heavy weight of material.
   The decoration was traced and punched with a sure and firm hand. The scheme includes two "bearded" beaks with eyes and two horse -like creatures, nose to the ground. The zones of decoration are separated by panels of hatching and cross-hatching. There is an inner and outer border of a double band of tiny gouge marks with a peripheral band of triangular gouge marks. The larger folded end of the brooch is traced with a boldly executed animal head and the incomplete one shows clearly the hatched collar of a similar head now missing. The decoration on the larger fold had been obscured by iron corrosion of the pin and could only be determined after this part of the brooch had been subjected to local electrolytic cleaning.
   The rich green patination of the bronze combines with the liveliness and quality of the decoration to make this brooch one of the loveliest objects from the Lyminge cemetery.
   1. A fragment of the plating was submitted to the Kent County Analyst for analysis and the following figures were supplied:
                                           Silver 90.2%
                                           Copper 4.8%
                                            Tin 1.5%
with traces of lead, iron, nickel and gold.

Page 11  (This page prepared for the Website by Christine Pantrey)               

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