ROMAN VILLAS DISCOVERED IN DORSET. 225 



cameo, representing a vintage scene. Then the surgical 

 instruments, and the mathematical, denote a high advance 

 in scientific knowledge. Also there are carpenters' and 

 labourers' tools, as spades, hoes, &c. Kitchen utensils in 

 bronze, truellce for decanting and drawing liquids, colanders, 

 &c., Amphorae of all sizes. In short, almost every depart- 

 ment of life is represented here, and shows the Roman to 

 have been highly advanced in civilisation, though, possibly, 

 there may be detected a decadence from the high state of art 

 which Rome had received from Greece. 



And nearly all these find their representatives in Dorset- 

 shire. We are rich in mosaic floors, as any visitor to the 

 Dorchester Museum is aware. Then there is the pavement 

 discovered on Lenthay Common, now removed to the dairy 

 at Sherborne, representing a sitting figure playing on a lyre 

 with six chords, while a second figure is dancing and playing 

 a double pipe united at the mouthpiece. Another was 

 discovered at Fifehead Neville, and has been described and 

 figured in Vol. XXIV., D.F.C. Again, there is the well- 

 known " Venus pavement," now in the British Museum, 

 which was found at Hemsworth, near Badbury, and about 

 f mile from the Via Iceniana, which connected Badbury 

 with Old Sarum. This floor is about 16ft. by 12Jft. The 

 pavement found at Preston is figured in Vol. XXI. of D.F.C. 

 Proceedings. If we have no conspicuous object such as the 

 Roman Baths of Uriconium, we have at least traces of the 

 existence of such in the tiles and pipes which have from time 

 to time been discovered. Flat clay, or pottery, tiles have 

 been found at Thornford, and these may have been used for 

 carrying hot air to the rooms, as at Uriconium. They would 

 also serve the purpose of drain-tiles. In the same spot were 

 also found roofing-tiles with, in some cases, the nails adhering. 

 Tiles have also been found at Iwerne Minster, and at the East 

 Farm, Bradford Abbas. The Thornford find has furnished 

 us with knives and tools. 



Passing on to ladies' dress, we find pins and brooches are 

 common objects in our local museum, and special attention 



