88 THE KttfMERIDaE COAL MONEY. 



Roman or British Settlements." Now I believe I may safely 

 assert that he is altogether in error, and that they arc undoubt - 

 edly of Roman origin. First, with regard to the pottery ; I have 

 in my possession, specimens obtained from Roman sites at Bad- 

 bury, Southampton, and Hurst- per-point, in Sussex, many of 

 which bear a close similarity to those which are found in this 

 neighbourhood. And there can be no doubt of the origin of 

 Samian ware. I have also obtained at Kimmeridge, a comb, 

 (pi. X, fig. 1,) of a peculiar form, made from a portion of the 

 horn of a deer, which is precisely similar to several which have 

 been found amongst Roman remains at Jordan Hill, near 

 Weymouth. Mr. Miles suggests the probability that the Phoeni- 

 cians traded to the Isle of Purbeck for the clay, and established 

 manufactories of pottery in the immediate neighbourhood of the 

 Kimmeridge coal. But this applies equally in favour of the Ro- 

 mans, whose potteries are frequently met with in localities which 

 afford suitable clay; for instance, there are extensive remains 

 of one in the New Forest, upon the Plastic clay. * 



His 'other argument against the supposition that these Bays 

 were Roman stations, is, that there remains no appearance of 

 defensive works having existed, and consequently, that their 

 inhabitants or colonists were open to an attack by an enemy 

 descending from the hills which command them. But the Ro- 

 mans, be it remembered, were latterly so firmly established in 

 this Country as not to need such precautionary measures, of 

 which the luxurious arrangement of their villas affords ample 

 proof that they dwelt in peaceful possession. 



But the discovery to which he appears to attach the most 

 importance is that of the bullock's head, which he asserts to 

 have been a sacrificial deposit: still there is nothing in this, 



* Upon a former occasion I suggested an enquiry into what could 

 exist in the Isle of Purbeck of sufficient value to the Romans, to induce 

 them to make a road of considerable pretensions, esi^ccially directed to 

 its shores? I think we are here guided to a reply. They paid great 

 attention to the utility of the mineral productions of this country. The 

 ashes of mineral fuel have been frequently found in the fire places of 

 Roman villas. Their potteries are also known to have been very exten- 

 sive. Here in Purbeck was a clay superior to any which they could 

 have met with elsewhere, and only three miles distant, upon the coast, 

 a coal, well suited to the requirements of the kiln, and also to the 

 manufacture of ornaments. 



