Volume 2

The gentleman's magazine library : being a classified collection of the chief contents of The gentleman's magazine from 1731 to 1868. Romano-British remains / edited by George Laurence Gomme.

Date:: 1887

Credit: The gentleman's magazine library : being a classified collection of the chief contents of The gentleman's magazine from 1731 to 1868. Romano-British remains / edited by George Laurence Gomme. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$following Roman coins, viz,, a Nero, middle brass ; Trajan, ditto; a supposed colonial coin of Claudius, but doubtful, being very imper- fect; Vespasian, middle brass; Vespasian, denarius; Crispina Au- gusta, silver; Magnentius, small brass; Valentinian, ditto; Con- stantius, ditto. Yours, etc. j. L. Eye. [1818, Part II., pp. 131, 132.] In passing through the ancient borough of Eye, a few days since, I accidentally heard that some urns had been found on the preceding day by two labourers, who were employed in digging gravel for the use of the parish. Although much pressed for time, I could not resist proceeding to the spot, where I arrived at the very moment the men were earnestly engaged in removing with their pocket-knives the sand which surrounded an urn they had then met with. During the two hours I remained in the field fourteen sepulchral relics of antiquity presented themselves to the point of the mattock, out of which three only were extracted entirely; the rest were generally of so tender a nature as not to endure the slightest pressure or exposure. The contents, however, of those which thus crumbled away were carefully ransacked with the expectation of their enclosing some valuable coin, utensil, or ornament of dress. In this research they were not entirely disappointed, although but little variety grati- fied our view. The articles which were picked up during my observation consisted in a few fragments of iron shears, of the same shape as those commonly used by grooms, although the length did not exceed the size of small scissors. The metal was exceedingly corroded, and none were perfect. Two ivory buttons, resembling in shape a globe of inch diameter, divided in the centre : the shank of the buttons was consumed, but the holes where it was inserted were clearly visible. The most curious thing was a pair of tweezers, about 2\ inches long. They are as perfect as if re- cently taken from the hands of the artisan — the shape of the instrument corresponds so exactly with those now in general use, that had I observed them elsewhere, I should have judged them the manufacture of the present day. Their metal is of brass, but finely crusted over with the inimitable bloom of antiquity. I observed them lying in their ancient bed of ashes, one side of the urn having crumbled away. Near them was a small fragment (I believe of gold), about 2 inches long, but to what it originally belonged (not being conversant in antiquities) I could form no opinion. The site of this noble cemetery is in an enclosure, belonging to the abbey farm, the property of the Marquis Cornwallis, a mile from the town, and lying on the southern side of a rivulet, which divides Eye from the parish of Broome. It is distant from the river about 150 yards, and the first excavation was made where the ground begins to 20—2$