Romano-British Interments. 183 



would be met with close at hand, but unless covered with 

 mounds, it would be in vain to search for them, as where 

 tumuli have not been protected by mounds, they have become 

 levelled by atmospheric agencies or agricultural operations. 



The Marquis Conjmgham's estate has yielded a rich store 

 of archaeological treasures from time to time, most of which 

 are preserved in the mansion at Bifron's, near Canterbury ; 

 they are chiefly of Anglo-Saxon date, and were exhumed by 

 the late Mr. Godfrey Faussett, F.S.A.='= 



To return to the discoveries at Bayford, near the two graves 

 mentioned in the early portion of this paper, we found, what 

 upon careful examination, proved to be the site of the 

 " bustum," where the actual cremation took place. For several 

 yards around the earth was very black, and when removed was 

 found to contain broken tiles, potsherds, portions of bones, and 

 antlers of old red deer, jaw bones and horn cores of ox, long 

 iron nails and fragments of bronze ornaments, oyster shells, 

 &c. The custom common to the Romans of throwing pots- 

 herds and trinkets upon the pile during the burning of the 

 body, was well illustrated at Bayford, and helps to explain 

 awa}' the oft quoted passage in Shakespeare, 



" Shards, flints, and pebbles should be thrown on her." — 



Hamlet, Act v. Scene 2. 



The presence of animal remains by the funeral pile would 

 indicate sacrifices and feasting. A word may be said about 

 the various vessels placed upon the tables for your inspection. 

 We are inclined to look upon the bronze jug from grave No. I 

 as the " prsefericulum " for the sacrificial wine, and the bronze 

 patera for pouring the libations. The glass vessels are so 

 delicate that they must have been made either for ornamental 

 or sepulchral purposes. Strabo was informed by a glass maker 

 of Alexandria, that a peculiar earth was found in Egypt with- 

 out which it was impossible to manufacture certain kinds of 

 glass of a brilliant and valuable quality, and some vases pre- 

 sented by an Egyptian priest to the Emperor Hadrian were 

 considered so curious and valuable that they were only used 

 on grand occasions. f The Roman glass vases found in graves 

 in Britain must have been costly, and highly prized, and 

 would therefore naturally be selected to contain aromatics, 

 perfumes, and other funeral balsams, which were deposited 

 with the dead, as propitiatory offerings to the manes. I have 

 by no means exhausted the number of different modes of burial 

 practised by the Romans, but I trust enough has been said to 



' Arch£eologia Cantiana, Vols, vi and x. 

 t Wilkinson's Ancient Egyptians. 



B 13 



