REVIEWS 725 



native clay ; in other cases the graves were formed of Roman tiles ; two consisted 

 of roughly formed cists ; one was constructed of solid masonry ; and in one 

 case the body had been covered by a thick sheet of lead. The occurrence of 

 a number of nails suggests that wooden coffins were used. 



It is impossible in a brief review to do justice to the minute care and skill with 

 which the details of these interments and their accompanying relics have been 

 recorded and classified. The illustrations alone are a speaking record. A clear 

 large-scale plan shows the relative positions of the graves ; a number of sketches 

 from Prof. Newstead's own pen depict the relics, and the various bones of the 

 skeletons that have been preserved ; and admirable photographs are added of the 

 tombs and the pottery. The present report, which is entitled Part I., deals mainly 

 with the details of the tombs and the relics ; we may perhaps assume that the 

 forthcoming second part will discuss anthropometrical details ; we believe, for 

 example, that the remains of a young woman found in the stone-built tomb were 

 typical of a Mediterranean race. 



The relics are of the class usually occurring in the case of burials by inhuma- 

 tion, including pottery, glass flasks, lamps, objects of bronze, coins, beads, rings, 

 bones of animals, and so on. The pottery and coins, as affording the best 

 materials for determining dates, are very fully discussed. The general conclu- 

 sion is to the effect that the site was in use as a burial-ground towards the close 

 of the second century, though some relics may point to a much earlier period. 



We have said that the excavations produced no inscribed stones. There is, 

 however, one inscription which has given information of some importance. On 

 the base of a tiny glass vessel, only two and a half inches high, occurs the stamp 



PATRIMO VECTIGAL. 



No less than twenty-five glass ampullae, bearing this or a similar legend, have 

 been found elsewhere in the Western Empire, twelve in Rome itself, and four in 

 Britain. Fortunately, the completeness of the present stamp throws welcome 

 light on the others, though it is not yet possible to give a satisfactory explana- 

 tion of the inscription. We can only say that it has been suggested that the 

 stamp had some imperial significance, and may have freed the contents of the 

 flask from taxation or duty. 



We may mention one other discovery, as it coincides in point of time with a 

 similar discovery elsewhere. At one point, below the level of the burials, and 

 therefore prior to them in point of date, there was found, imbedded in the 

 undisturbed boulder clay, a circular domed "furnace," about forty inches in 

 diameter, with a " hob " or " feed-hole " on one side. Such furnaces, or — as we 

 prefer to call them — " ovens," of varying sizes, have been found in many Roman 

 forts in Britain, and it is generally assumed that they were used for baking bread. 

 The layer of charcoal, which occurs elsewhere, was also present at Chester. Only 

 a year ago, while the Balkerne Gate of the Roman town at Colchester was being 

 excavated, a similar oven was found in the floor of the southern guard-chamber. 

 I have no details to hand, but the description given to me last January by the 

 excavators on the spot seemed to correspond exactly with the description of the 

 example found at Chester. 



Perhaps we may hope that in his next report (Part II.) Dr. Newstead may be 

 able to institute a comparison, not only between these two ovens, but also between 

 the tiled graves found at Chester and those to be seen in the basement of the 

 museum at York ; and, generally, between the Chester tombs and their contents 



