32 S T ONE IMPLEMENTS, ETC., IN THE DORSET MUSEUM. 



Hall possessed a piece of shale, from Frampton, rudely carved with 

 a lion's or leopard's face, and seeming to have been a supporter of 

 some piece of furniture. Now, the Dorset Museum does not possess 

 this specimen (I wish it did), but in Mr. Hogg's Loan Collection are 

 three most interesting ones. The largest, found in South Street, 

 Dorchester, is of massive make, being three and a-half by three 

 inches thick (PI. II., fig. 1). It is rather more than six inches 

 long, sharply carved, and apparently of Roman work. There can 

 be no doubt that it was part of a leg of a stool or couch. The 

 lower end is brought to a curved foot ; and on each side, above, is 

 an ornament in relief, slightly like a man's leg. What it is 

 intended for I know not, unless it may be the stem of a leaf or 

 flower which was carved on a possible extension of the block, now 

 lost. The other two objects are smaller, but of similar style, 

 speaking roughly. They also were found in South Street, but not 

 with the larger leg. Mr. Warne seems to consider Kimmeridge 

 shale a suitable material for legs of furniture. I should hardly 

 think so myself, although very diffident in uttering any opinion 

 contrary to his. I should have supposed the stools, couches, or 

 tripods, to which these curious legs belonged, to have been not for 

 use, but either purely for display, or to be dedicated as votive 

 offerings in a temple. Is it not possible that Kimmeridge coal, 

 different from jet geologically, but like in appearance, may have 

 shared its supposed talismanic virtues? It was held that jet 

 " drives away serpents, relieves fantasies, and has virtues against 

 the visits of fiends by night," as Mr. Warne quotes in "Ancient 

 Dorset," p. 295. The use by Roman joiners of this shale for legs of 

 furniture is perhaps a point, as far as it goes, in favour of the shale 

 plaques having been ornamentally applied to or let into woodwork. 

 I close what I have to say particularly of Kimmeridge coal by noting 

 that we have in the Museum several pieces roughed out into a ring 

 form apparently with the intention of their being carved, not 

 turned, into armillse. Mr. Warne speaks of an armilla so made. 



I must now draw your attention very specially to two 

 specimens of a contrivance which seems to be. hitherto un- 



