Transactions. 51 



quantities of ancient arms were found, consisting of swords 

 about two feet long, edged on one side to the handle, and on 

 the other for the half length of the blade ; long spear-heads ; 

 horse-shoes, some of which were entirely circular and others 

 curiously turned in at the heel. The farmer who found them 

 had them all with the exception of a bronze celt turned into 

 implements of husbandry. 



A very remarkable discovery of ornaments, bronze rings, 

 bridle-bits, and other portions of horse-furniture, was made in 

 a moss at Middleby, Annandale, in 1737 ; the whole of which 

 were secured by the zealous Scottish antiquary Sir John 

 Clerk, and are still preserved at Penicuick House, 



One of the most beautiful personal ornaments of this 

 period ever found in Scotland was discovered by a labourer 

 while cutting turf in Lochar ]\Ioss, about two miles to the 

 north of Cumlongan Castle. There is an engraving of it, along 

 with the bronze vessel in which it was discovered, at page 44<9 

 of Wilson's Archaeology ; at page 458 is an engraving of a 

 bronze bridle-bit found in a moss near Birrenswerk Hill, Dum- 

 friesshire, a locality rich in the remains of Eoman and 

 British arts, and where the traces both of Eoman and native 

 intrenchments are still visible. In the valuable collection of 

 antiquities at Hoddam Castle, there are three Eoman altars, 

 found at Birrens in the parish of Middleby, the largest of 

 which is in the very finest state of preservation, and is figured 

 at page 398. Such are a few of the Antiquities of the Stone, 

 Bronze, and Iron Periods that have been foimd in Dumfries- 

 shire and GaUoway. 



Sir Thomas Browne says, "Large are the treasures of 

 oblivion. Much more is buried in silence than recorded ! 

 and the largest volumes are but epitomes of what hath been ! 

 The account of time began with night, and darkness still 

 attendeth it." 



