GILLINGHAM SPECIMENS. 



28^ 



the Saxon shape. It is of the same size as the Hod Hill 

 shoe, but has more breadth 

 of iron. Tlie border is not 

 undulated, and the nail- 

 holes, though large, are 

 square ; there is no socket 

 for the nail-head. One side, 

 which has no calkin, has 

 four nail-holes ; and the 

 other side, which has a 

 calkin formed exactly like '^s- '°^ 



the Roman and Gaulish specimens by doubling over the 

 extremity of the branch, has only three. The iron appears 

 to be remarkably good and fibrous, and much resembles 

 that of the Saxon weapons made of that metal. The other 

 shoe (fig. 107) is almost identically the same so far as re- 

 gards size, but it is ap- 

 parently of miore recent 

 date than the other, though 

 still very primitive. It has 

 two calkins raised at the 

 extremities of the branches, 

 and these, though very low 

 and thin, are formed as in 

 modern times. Wide at the 

 toe and sides, it is very nar- 

 row and light towards the heels, has four square nail-holes 

 on one side, and three on the other. Both specimens are 

 very light, slightly concave to the foot, and convex to the 

 ground surface, and would fit a horse about thirteen or 



107 



