ROMANO-BRITISH DERBYSHIRE 



Another bit, found, I believe, during the construction of the Great Northern 

 Railway, is a fragment of a coarse buff-coloured pelvis or mortar, which bears 

 an irregular cartouche, and in it, moulded by hand and chocolate-coloured, 

 the letters VIVIVI3 (the last letter dubious), perhaps the imitation of a 

 potter's mark with no real meaning, rather than a real potter's mark 

 itself (fig. 26 [2]). 1 Glass also, two or three fibulas (one with red enamel) 

 and other bits of bronze including ' the boss of a shield ' ( ?), an amphora 

 handle stamped VI RG and many minor objects have been recorded. 2 



FIG. 26. OBJECTS FROM LITTLE CHESTER, SKETCHED BY MR. WARD. 



Only one piece of stone demands notice. This is a rude bas- 

 relief, some 20 inches high, showing a nude male figure with a rude 

 representation of rays over his head and an object like a caduceus 

 hanging from his left hand. 8 It has been usually interpreted as 

 Mercury, and indeed rude figures of this god occur commonly outside 

 Roman forts (fig. 26 [i]). 



Lastly, there is great plenty of coins. The list of those found in or 

 near the 'station' includes one coin of A.D. 14, one of Nero, several 

 of Vespasian and Domitian, many of the second century, especially of 

 Pius and Marcus, a few specimens of the period A.D. 180-230, but many 

 of the succeeding century, especially of Carausius and the Constantinian 



1 Reliquary, iii. (1889), 69 ; Derb. Arch. Journ. xi. 86, plate vi. 



2 Derb. Arch. Journ. x. 161, xi. 92 ; Reliquary, iii. 73. 



8 Reliquary, iii. 65; Derb. Arch. Journ. xi. 90, xii. 171 ; Keys, Old Derby, p. 8. Now in the 

 Derby Museum. It was found originally near the river. 



219 



