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In one case not a hundred yards from this place there was found (what is 
exceedingly rare) an earthen jar containing burial bones, which had been buried 
within the limits of the city. This was quite contrary to Roman customs, and 
indicates a time when the city was besieged by enemies, and when burials could 
not be conducted according to the usual plan. In one case a very large vessel (21 
inches in diameter) had been used for burial, and within it there were found a 
small patera or kind of saucer and a piece ol copper coin which was fixed to the 
bottom by oxidation. This coin was doubtless to pay the fare over the ferry to the 
other world ; but it is singular that in no other case have we found a coin in a 
sepulchral vase. Some of the glass cinerary urns which you have seen in the . 
museum contain the original burnt bones, and are in a fine state of preservation. 
Not so, however, are the remains of what is called ‘‘pillar-moulded glass,” 
generally in the form of fragments of bowls. It is singular that soon after the time 
of the Romans this manufacture was lost, and not very long ago a patent was 
taken out in England for this very process! I must leave it to the legal gentlemen 
present to say whether the patent would stand, as these very specimens in our 
museum would show that the process was in use sixteen hundred years ago. 
In an excavation made in the Priory garden some very pretty fragments of 
pillar-moulded glass were found of a beautiful mottled colour. These are rare. 
The Romans knew the art of enamelling as is evident from several of the specimens 
which you have seenin the museum. Amongst the greatest rarities in our museum 
are the two carved ivories, one representing a tragic mask and the other possibly 
Pomona placing a basket of fruit on Cupid’s head. What they originally formed 
is uncertain. They may have been part of the ornamentation of a chariot, as you 
may see the holes by which they were riveted to something behind. Bone pins for 
fastening up the hair were found in abundance, one of them ornamented with gold. 
Bone counters for games were also not uncommon, and bone needles of all descrip- 
tions. The bronze objects are very varied, fibule or studs, earrings, chains, armill 
or bracelets, and small figures of various sorts, knives, styli for writing on tablets, 
shears, part of a small balance and a bell, spoons, keys, and last, not least, a 
Roman foot-rule which is doubled up, but the two sides together measure exactly 
as they ought to do, 11.604 of our inches. 
While speaking of Roman bronze objects, and more especially shears, some 
astonishment has been expressed at bronze being used as a cutting material, but it 
may not be generally known that it is very easy to harden bronze ; a very small 
percentage of iron will have this effect. It is even said that bronze melted in a 
crucible previously used for melting iron will become exceedingly hard. Some 
years ago a brass founder in London took out a patent for hardening brass so that 
it would not wear, adopting this very plan, and he meant to use it especially for 
the brass of quadrants and sextants, but his scheme fell to the ground, as he found 
the brass so hard that he could not engrave upon it. 
Of coins a large number haye been found here. I will mention one fact 
which will show this. Occasionally when labour was scarce at Caerleon I have set 
two or three men to work merely to dig a trench in the Priory garden, and in every 
instance was well rewarded by coins and other remains. The last trench dug here 
produced half a dozen coins of Carausius, and a couple of Allectus, 
