308 



^otes on ^eant §i$co&me$. 



By A. D. Passmore. 



[These notes were in part read at the Society's meeting, at 

 Devizes, in 1903, v/hen the objects ilhistrated were exhibited.] 



The British cinerary urn and incense cup here ilhistrated were 

 found at Wilton, near Grafton, in the civil parish of Great Bedwyn, 

 in August, 1902. During the summer of that year a large plant 

 was laid down near the road leading from Great Bedwyn to Wilton, 

 for the purpose of making bricks for the military works on Salisbury 

 Plain. 



A light railway was commenced from the works to Grafton 

 Station, and in cutting through a portion of a field called " Batt's 

 Meadow " the workmen came upon an old trench which had been 

 cut in a direction from north to south. It was 4ft. Gin. deep and 

 12ft. wide, of an irregular U shape, and contained small patches 

 of wood ashes and charcoal. 



At the bottom of the trench, lying upon its side, was the urn, 

 and, as it was quite unprotected, one of the workmen, unfortunately, 

 pecked a small hole in the side. It is of a reddish brown colour, 

 hand-made and well formed, and measures 6in. in height, with a 

 diameter at top of 5in., and at bottom of 3|in. ; while the greatest 

 diameter is 5Hn., measured at a point l^in. below the top. 



It is ornamented with the usual impressed thong markings 

 carried round the vessel in two zig-zag lines, one on the over- 

 hanging rim, and the other immediately below it. Above this, 

 and close to the top, there is a double line of the same impressions, 

 crossing which are numerous smaller lines put on with no regard 

 to space or symmetry. 



When found, the urn was nearly full of burnt bones, probably 

 those of an infant, and, as far as I could learn from those present, 

 was not covered in any way, but simply deposited in the chalk 

 rubble. 



