236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



the last few years, and also in one at Siddington House, 

 where the party were most hospitably entertained at 

 luncheon by Mr Christopher Bowly, fresh evidence was 

 afforded of the mine of antiquarian wealth there is in the 

 ancient Corinium. Mr Bowly has some large stone slabs, 

 with deep wheel-ruts in them, which formed part of the 

 pavement of the Roman streets ; a number of pieces of 

 face- coloured mortar from Roman houses, and the 

 moulded bases and capitals of Roman columns ; and in 

 the grounds of his house is a tombstone to a Roman lady, 

 and a votive altar of Roman date. 



Mr Cripps' collection of relics of the domestic life of 

 the Romans is exceedingly fine. Among the articles of 

 Samian ware are upper and lower bowls used for heating 

 spiced wine, evidently the property of a former wealthy 

 resident. The lustred Castor ware, ornamented with 

 tracery, also indicates great taste. Among glass vessels 

 are a number of small bottles, often called lacrymatories. 

 Mr Bellows smiled at the idea, asserting that the Romans 

 were much more accustomed to make other people cry, 

 than to cry themselves. Instead of the bottles being 

 used to treasure tears, they were perfume bottles, the 

 narrow necks of which enabled the perfume to be easily 

 measured in drops. 



Of hair-pins and bodkins in bone Mr Cripps has a 

 large collection, and his series of coins represents nearly 

 the whole of the period of the Roman occupation. 

 Special attention was called to the design of the bottles in 

 which the Roman soldiers carried sour wine. The handle 

 is fluted so that the grip may be firm ; the neck is funnel- 

 shaped, which facilitates filling ; and the orifice is small, 

 thus minimizing evaporation. An interesting ornamental 

 object is a statuette of bone representing a water nymph 

 kneehng on the left knee and pouring water from a 

 pitcher resting on the right knee. Another object 

 indicated that the Romans had antiquarian tastes. This 



