Account of the Society's Researches in the Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Sarr

Pl.vn. CCX Lg , CL).IJI. Horut.LJmdit .i4 BEADS FROM SARR . N ~ I ri - _en, l"'.,. .:, he Gm. '7\:6 'j 307 . . ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIETY'S RESE.A.RCHE"S IN THE ANGLO-S.AXON CEMETERY AT SARR. BY JOI:IN BRENT, JUN., F.S.A. ( Concluded ~·om Vol. JTL p. 185.) [Recommenced, August 22; finnlJy concluded, Novembel' 4, 1864.J No. CLXXXV.-An ornamented bronze buckle, two inches and a half in length ; a smaller bronze buckle, and a knife. An umbo lay edgewfoe by the left shoulder, and under it a spear-head. No. OLXXXVI.-A small oblique grave, disturbed, and with the bones much displaced. An iron buckle, and a small substance resembling resin. No.OLXXXVII.A woman's grave. At the feet were small. cylindi·ical bronze fragments, portions apparently of hinges,some with wood adhering; a small spring, and some bronze tags. • Fragments of keys, by the left side, as usual ; a small knife, broken; and a curious furciform object in bronze, about two inches and a half long,-probably a holder, which had been x2 308 ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIETY'S RESEARCHES suspended from the girdle, fragments of keys being attached to its lower end. No . . CLXXXVIII.-Grave of a woman and child. Teeth of an adult, and milk molar teeth. A single small amethystine bead first appeared, then three or four other beads, some very small ; and small fragments of iron. No. CLXXXIX.-An umbo on the left side, lying edgewise. A sword, a knife, and a spear-head. No. CXC. -A, sword by the left side, thirty inches long in the blade. A frac~ , tnred umbo near the foot; a delicatelyshaped spear-head, two knives, an ol'namented bronze buckle, and an iron bolthead. . Nos. CXCI.-CXCVII.-produced few relics. Some bronze platings and two broken knives. Nos. CXCIV. and CXCVI., had been disturbed, and the bones much displaced. The latter had contained two persons. No. CXCVIII.-( near the turnpike-gate on the I~.amsgate road.) At the foot of the grave was a small hole containing human bones. Also about forty counters of bone or ivory, like those of grave No. VI., :fifteen of which had two holes, penetrating some half inch, cleanly cut into their flat bottoms, doubtless a distinguishing mark; and. with them were two dice, much decayed, one however beru:ing the mark of cinq, the other that of six, exactly as in modern dice, distinctly visible. • In this grave were also two gilt stud-heads or. l'ivets, still quite bright; a bronze buckle, and one of iron, and IN THE ANGLO-SAXON CEMETERY AT SARR. 309 two small spear-heads. • The grave measured seven feet by four. The lower end had been disturbed. No. CXCIX.-A woman's grave. A broken knife and a key. No. CC.-A deep, wide grave. One spear-head on one side of the skull, and two on the other ; small pieces of bronze, a few broad-headed nails; iron staples at the feet. There was also a deep-cut hole, and a femur-bone protruded from the wall of the grave at its foot, evidently unconnected with the skeleton of the grave. Perhaps an older interment was disturbed in making this grave. No. C0I.-N othing. The bones displaced. No. COIL- At the left foot a vessel of red clay, with a wavy pattern, the narrow neck of which was broken. A small substance resembling resin, perhaps some unguent placed in the grave. The teeth those of a child or a very young person. No. 00III.-Grave of a woman. Portion of a key, .and a fragment of bronze. No. 00IV.-Grave of a woman. Two curved pieces of ivory or morse-tooth, sliced down a.t each end,-one . about six inches long. I can form no idea of their use. Near the neck were some beads, as well as a bolt for a lock. 310 . ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIETY'S RESEARCHES No. CCV.-A child's grave. A small knife-blade, two inches and three-quarters long, lay by the left shoulder. No. CCVI.-Two u:on keys, indicating a woman's grave ; also other fragments of iron, one of the shape figured at Grave CCXXX.VIII. No. CCVII.-Near the shoulder, a broken umbo; a spear-head and its ferule by the right ear; a knife, nine inches long in the blade ; a black earthen vessel, narrow- necked, by the left foot. A fragment of musselshell. No. CCVIII.-Clench-bolts in a row down the side. Iron shield-braces or bands, with clamps, and an iron buckle. . .Also, a small bronze buckle. The1·e were oyster-shells in this grave, some with the valves in position, and therefore unopened when deposited, perhaps with a vague idea of supplying food to the deceased. No. CCIX.-A spear-head; a portion of an iron ring; a knife and a small iron buckle. At the foot, a narrownecked earthen vessel. No. COX.-A small grave, a girl's, the teeth being young. A collection of beads by the neck, one bugleshaped, of white glass gilt, (Plate VII.) and, I believe, unique. A wire ring, a rusted mass of keys, a bronze rivet, and a bronze pin. Under the neck, a fine circular fibula. The centre is a boss of ivory, from which radiate three sliced garnets. The boss contains a garnet, and is surrounded by three rims of silver, l'ising rach higher than the other, the innermost being the highest. The • teeth of another child were also found in this grave. • No. CCXI.-A very perfect sword, thirty-nve inches from hilt to point, lay from the centre high up by the skull, inclining to the right. It had borne a metal IN THE ANGLO-SAXON CEMETERY AT SARR. 311 sheath. Below it we1;e a spear-head and a pike. A black earthen vessel, with broken lip, lay on its side near the centre. A bronze buckle, a pin of bone or ivory; and a beautiful orna-. ment, perhaps a sword-knot, pyramidical in shape, but squared at the top, which is formed by a garnet set in a thin edging of bronze. The four sides of the pyramid are ornamented with ivory and coloured glass, set in gilt foil, and the base hollowed to receive a small bronze bar, through which a little strap or thong probably passed for suspension. Neal' the feet a knife and an umbo. ■ . . ' No. CCXII.-A small pair of scissorn, near the head, on which were the i·emains of a wooden sheath. Part of a key. No doubt a woman's grave. No. CCXIiI.-.A. knife near the shoulder; a spearhead, and the fragment of a buckle. No. ·CCXIV.-A bronze buckle; a broken knife. Evidences of wood down each side of the grave. No. CCXV.-A vei-y deep grave. Traces of wood as in the last; near the hip two glass vessels, much broken : one has since been restored,-it is elegant and very slight, but of common type. (See ' Inventorimn Sepulchrale,' plate xviii. fig. 3 ; and 'Pagan Saxondom,' plate XXV. fig. 1.) N os. CCXVI.-CCXIX.-yielded no relics except a bronze buck.le and two knives; they were probably women's graves. No. -CCXVII. was nine feet long by four wide, -and five and a half deep. It reminded me of No. IV., and when it yielded only a small rusty knife I was sufficiently disappointed. One point in it, however, '\Vas worthy of note, that the body had evidently been pla_ced upon a bier or in a coffin, two planks apparently set edgewise, about twelve inches high and one thick, 312 ,ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIETY'S ltESEARCHES being traceable down the whole length of the grave, and a piece of wood four inches square lyi.ng at the head and at the feet. No. CCXVIII. was equally large. No. CCXX. - This was an interesting interment. Commencing at the feet, our usual practice, and working up,,rnrds, we found two urn-shaped glass vessels, close together. A thin circular stud of silver next appeared, some iron keys (one quite perfect, a very rare occurren·ce ), a large bronze ring, and a flat bronze studhead. On the breast, ah-out thirty beads of porcelain, glass, and amethystine quartz; also an iron frag·ment, apparently a mounting for a purse, a broken knife, and an iron bolt. N os. CCXXI.-CCXXIV.-Only two broken knives. No. CCL-YIU. was a child's grave by the teeth; the tender bones, as we often found in children's graves, had decayed without a trace. No. CCXXV.-An amethystine bead, a broken knife, and the sliding bolt of a small lock. The bottom of the grave was lined with decayed vegetable fibre. No. COXXVI.-A broken knife, and what appeared to be nothing but a very common little stud. lt proved to be two small silver sceattre thus closely corroded together. No. CCXXVIII. - · Remarkable as containing fragments of pottery apparently Roman, and at one end a thick layer of mortar or cement ; also mussel and oyster shells, and a few scattered bones. No. COXXIX.-A knife, and a few beads. No. CCXXX. - A red earthen vessel of elegant shape; two spear-heads, some shield-studs, an umbo, and a broken knife. • No. CCXX.XL-At the feet, a red earthen vessel,· .witl1 narrow. . neck. The nozzle .having been broken . IN THE ANGLO-SAXON CEMETERY AT SA.RR. 313 previously· to . the interment, two holes for suspension had been made evidently to ·receive a thong or string. Here . were also a spear-head, and down each side of the grave eight clench-bolts, about nine inches apart. No. 00:XX:XII.-An elegant bl'Onze buckle, a little more than two inches and a half long, ornamented below the tongue with ivory and a circular garnet, and lower still with a cruciform design, the arms being filled in with pale-,green enamel and ivo1·y, and the groundwork once inlaid with darkgreen stones or glass, but now impe1fect. Near the lower end is a sunken line, in which remain three little bronze studs. No. 00:XX:XIII.-Two spear .. heads, an umbo, and an iron rivet or clamp lay in the upper soil; lower down appeared three rectangular bronze ornaments, ea~h one inch by three-quarters of an inch, and once attached probably to ·1eather or wood by studs at the corners. One bears an ornament of interlaced chainwork, another two rudely designed dragons intertwining, the third a dragon of another design, perhaps with a head at each end. All are unique in this country. In this grave were also a . small iron wedge or cold chisel, two inches and a quarter long, a knife, a bronze stud, and a metal ornament, 314 ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIETY'S RESEARCHES much corroded, with thin edgings of gold. · Traces of a bier or coffin were also found. No. CCXXXIV.-A deep and irregular grave. No relics . . No. 00:XXXV.-Two large iron clamps or rivets; a broken knife and traces of burnt wood. No. 00:XXXVI.-A woman's or girl's grave. Three • knives and four beads of common types. ·No. CCXXXVII.-A fine spear-head, vertically placed in. the upper soil; a long knife, a broken umbo, some shield studs, and an iron buckle. No. CCXXXVIII-A spear-head vertically placed, as in the last grave, in the upper soil ; an arrangement evidently designed, but for what object is not apparent. Three beads, a small bronze buckle, iron rivets, and a peculiar object in iron, about six inches and a half long ; the remains of keys or spears, much corroded, a foreign shell, the Gyprea Arabica, some broken mussel-shells, and a very small fragment of deep violet glass. All these small objects appear to have been placed in a box, and exhibited more or less the action of :fire. This grave yielded also pieces of iron, like links of a cable-patterned chain, and some bronze rings. Its incongruous contents might indicate a double interment, PlT,< X II XXXV UO< CCXXXI J.Foot cv,11 SARR r :; liethu9 t,k PLx . CCVII CCII XX CCXI CLVII CCIX SARR IN THE .A.NGLO~SAXON .CEl\lETERY .AT S.ARR. ·315 the beads and shell being: the i·elics of a woman, the spear-head of a man. . • No. C0XXXIX.-A veq long g1·ave, but very illshaped. A small bronze buckle, a rude iron buckle, .and some fragments of wood stained with iron. No. CCXL.-Burnt or decayed wood in some quantity. By the left shoulder, a spear-head of unusual shape, and its socket, both vertically placed, as in Nos. CCXXXVII. .and CCXXXVIII. Also a . large knife, and a black earthen vessel at the foot, too fragile to be preserved. N os. 00XLI,:--C0XLIII.-Only an iron ring, a small bronze buckle, and a knife. No. C0XLIV.-Disturbed. Shield-studs, and frag .. ments of bronze and iron; At the foot, a :flat piece of iron with two flattened circular .knobs upon it; a spearhead lay in the cist at the head of the grave . . N. o. CCXLV .-A small knife; at th. e feet, clenchbolts. Nos. CCXLVI., 0CXLVII.~Children's graves. No Telics. No. 00XLVIII.-A woman's grave. A knife, a ring of copper wire round the bones of the left arm, and close beside it an iron key. No. CCXLIX.-Disturbed. No relics. No. C0L.-A red earthen vessel, lying on its side in a 1·ecess at the feet. Three shield-studs and a broken t1mbo; a sword, in a wooden or leathern sheath, imperfect; two spear-heads, one bl'Oken (an old fracture), and a knife. No. C0LI.-Disturbed. No relics. No. CCLII.-A knife only. Thel'<'l were traces of wood down the side. No. C0LIII.-An irregular, grave, with the