A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



a cross, found on the same occasion. It is of the size and shape sometimes 

 mounted in metal sockets, and used in the I2th and 13th centuries for 

 ornamenting the bindings of books, but quite distinct in character from 

 the earlier crystal spheres frequently found in Kent, Isle of Wight, and Nor- 

 mandy, as part of the grave-furniture." 



At Aldeburgh, a Merovingian coin was found about 1846, set in a 

 finger-ring which had three pellets on either side of the bezel." This 

 arrangement of pellets in triangles is common on Merovingian finger-rings, 

 and was derived from a late Roman fashion, but the coin cannot be earlier 

 than the first half of the 7th century, as the cross standing on steps does 

 not occur on coins before the time of Tiberius Constantine. 



The bone disk from Felixstowe, illustrated on the frontispiece (fig. 4), 

 is now in the British Museum with fragments of two bone combs and part 

 of the case that protected the teeth when not in use. The combs are of 

 ordinary patterns,"^ but the disc is unusual and may have been part of a 

 mirror-case, such as the Romans used. There are rivet-holes near the rim, 

 and the design shows no trace of Anglo-Saxon influence, but rather a survival 

 of Roman motives, such as occur on mosaic pavements in this country. 

 Another Felixstowe find is a ' long ' brooch of debased character with 

 ' spectacle ' ornament, now in Norwich Museum. 



Another coastal find was a bronze brooch (fig. 1 6) from Felixstowe," of a 

 type fairly common in later Anglo-Saxon times. It is i in. in diameter, and 

 rudely engraved with a lion passant to left, considerable 

 traces of red enamel remaining in the sunk field. Speci- 

 mens practically identical come from Icklingham, and 

 from SwafFham, Norfolk, while another of the same 

 character was found at Butley, Suffolk. The last two 

 are in the national collection and another is at Canterbury. 

 It is remarkable that specimens'" with a lion and a horse- 

 man (somewhat like one next to be described) were found 

 °oF Bronze*, Felix- ^" ^^^ Gokstad ship-burial in Norway, and attributed to 

 sTowE {{) the 9th century. 



Another circular brooch, apparently of the iith cen- 

 tury, is published by Fairholt *^ from Otley, a few miles north of Ipswich. 

 It was found about 1834 in a barrow by Mr. Fitch, whose collection is now 

 at Norwich, but it is unlikely that it belonged to a burial, and had probably 

 been dropped during a search for treasure. It is ijin. in diameter, and 

 on both sides is a horseman with a drawn sword in his right hand, and a 

 •cross and star in the field. The front bears the letters sCs (for Sanctus) 

 and the back, which is provided with hinge and catch for the pin, has 

 "Ro . . . . s, the intervening letters defaced, but probably for Robertus or 

 Romanus. The shield and pointed helmet with nasal are both characteristic 

 of early Norman work. 



A few other brooches remain to be considered, and of these the most 

 interesting is one in the form of a bee (fig. 1 7) found somewhere in the county, 



" r.C.H. Kent, i, 342, 347, 359, 369 ; Hants, i, 388. " Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, i, 257 (figs.). 



"* Compare London specimens, V.C.H. London, i, 165, (with case). 



" Proc. Soc. Antiq. xi, 14 ; now in Bury Museum. 



*• Rygh, Norske OUsagcr, figs. 603 (lion), 602 (horseman). 



" Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, ii, 314 (figs.). 



348 



