ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS 



dinavian type (see fig.) ; one almost identical comes from an unknown 

 site in Ireland, and others have been found in Anglesey, Derbyshire, 

 and at Caerwent all may be referred to the Viking period. There 

 are also a few relics from Saxon graves on White Horse Hill, exca- 

 vated by Mr. Martin Atkyns in 1857, but never fully reported on. 1 

 Among these should be noticed a well preserved brooch of Roman manu- 

 facture, the face filled with coloured 

 enamels. The mound from which 

 these objects were recovered was 

 situated close to a Romano-British 

 burial-place, to the east of the camp, 

 having a slight elevation and irre- 

 gular form. In it were found six 

 carelessly buried skeletons and a 

 confused heap of bones, three of the 

 former being decapitated. The 

 skull of a young person was found 

 beneath the knees of one of these 

 skeletons, and near its right shoulder 



was the enamelled brooch just men- p ENANNULAR BROO FROM ABINGDON. 



tioned. The two other headless 

 skeletons were of males, and near the hip of one were found the 

 characteristic Saxon knife and remains of the shield. In the centre 

 of the mound was a perfect male skeleton with that of a child by its 

 left side, and at a little distance some isolated skulls, which were quite 

 unlike those found in the Romano-British tumulus adjoining, where 

 headless skeletons were also found. They were regarded as Anglo-Saxon, 

 being mostly ovoid, highly arched at the vertex and of moderate size. 

 This site is however more remarkable as a prehistoric centre, the earth- 

 work called Uffington Castle overlooking the White Horse, and Weland's 

 smithy lying about a quarter of a mile to the west. The rude represent- 

 ation in the chalk of the down, which bears some analogy to the horse 

 appearing on certain British coins of the pre-Roman period, is tradi- 

 tionally associated with the victory of King Alfred at Ashdown, but is 

 in all probability many centuries older. 



Though the site of the battle has been much disputed, it is interest- 

 ing to note that a sword, 2 presented to the British Museum by the Earl 

 of Craven, was found on Ashdown, and belongs to the type that was no 

 doubt in use during the ninth and earlier centuries ; and an iron axe- 

 head, of a kind more usual in France, was found near Ashdown Park 

 and exhibited to the Archaeological Institute in 1850.* 



Further discoveries* were made during 1884 in this neighbourhood, 

 and are notable as being in connection with Roman remains, as was the 



1 Journ. of Arch. Inst. vii. 386, 391 ; Thurnam and Davis, Crania Britannica, pt. ii. pi. 51. 



a Figured in Kemble and Franks' Hor<e Ferales, pi. xxvi. fig. z. 



3 Figured in Journal, vii. 392. 



* Notes of these have been kindly communicated by Mr. Walter Money, F.S.A. 



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