EARLY MAN 



knives, as well as numerous lumps of bronze or copper. The knives, two in number, con- 

 sisted of an example of the rare kind of skinning-implement found in the Home Wood Farm 

 hoard just described, and a specimen of a socketed knife vvdth a single rivet hole and lacking 

 the point. There was one other object found which is worthy of mention, namely a pierced 

 disc with short tube, resembling that found in the Isle of Harty hoard and figured by Sir John 

 Evans in his well-known work on bronze implements, etc.^ 



Harty, Isle of. This important hoard has been well described by Sir John Evans ^ 

 as ' the stock-in-trade of an ancient bronze founder.' It contained celt moulds and the celts 

 made in them, a gouge-mould, gouges, hammers, knives, etc., but the great importance of 

 the discovery arises from the valuable information it gives as to the methods adopted in casting 

 bronze rather than in the number or character of the particular objects of which the hoard 

 consisted. The largest mould was made in two pieces, each of which was furnished on the 

 outside with projecting pins. The purpose of these pins was to hold in position the cords 

 by which the two halves of the mould were bound during the process of casting. Five celts 

 produced in this mould were found in the hoard, yet no two were actually alike, and from a 

 careful study of the different specimens it appears that the system of casting adopted was as 

 follows : — 



First, the mould was tied together in proper position, and loam or clay was rammed into 

 it so as to tightly fill the upper part. Secondly, the mould was taken apart, and the clay 

 removed and probably left to become nearly dry. Thirdly, the lower part of the clay was 

 then trimmed to form the core, a shoulder being left which would form the mould for the 

 top of the celt. The upper part of the clay would be left untouched, beyond having two 

 channels cut in it to allow of the passage of the melted metal. Fourthly, the mould would 

 be tied together again with the prepared core inside, the untrimmed part of which would 

 form a guide for its due position in the mould. Fifthly, the mould would then be placed 

 vertically, probably by being stuck into sand, and the melted metal would be poured down 

 the channels.^ Another explanation of the slight variations in the sharpness of the mould- 

 ings is as follows. In order to prevent the molten bronze from adhering to the bronze mould, 

 the latter must have been smeared over with something by way of protection, so as to form 

 a thin film between the metal of the mould and that of the casting. It is probable that the 

 ancient bronze founders used a thin coat of marl to prevent contact of the metals, and the 

 variations in the thickness of the protecting film have been reproduced in the form of the 

 implement. 



The Isle of Harty hoard contained some other implements, two pieces of copper, and a 

 whetstone, and is in every way important as showing what were the tools and methods of 

 a primitive bronze founder. 



Leeds. A letter from Dr. J. Young to Dr. Thorpe, dated 9 November, 1708, describes 

 the discovery near Leeds Castle of about sixteen ' boltheads such as the Romans used to shoot 

 from y° catupultae.' Several of these were sold to a brazier, but two apparently were J^sent 

 to the Royal Society for exhibition. It is probable that this was a hoard of bronze celts or 

 palstaves, but from the imperfect record given in the letter it is impossible to say more. The 

 original letter is preserved among the manuscripts belonging to the Society of Antiquaries 

 of London (No. 202, fol. 162). 



Marden. In some ways this is the most remarkable of the Bronze Age hoards of Kent. 

 This part of the Wealden area is hardly one where such a deposit might be expected, yet it 

 should be borne in mind that a metallic hoard of this early period was essentially a secret 

 deposit, and it is conceivable that its presence here does not necessarily imply that the district 

 was much frequented during the period to which the hoard is ascribed. There is some reason 

 to think, however, that the deposit may be ascribed to a late period in the Bronze Age, from 

 the fact that a tool probably of Late Celtic character was found in it. The hoard was 

 contained in an earthen vessel, and the objects of which it was composed were mostly 

 broken.* One of the articles found was a bronze sickle. 



Saltwood, usually known as the Haynes Hill Hoard. This hoard ^ was found in 

 or about the year 1873 during the progress of the works connected with the construction of 

 the Hythe and the Sandgate Railway. It consisted of a part of a lance- or spear-head, with 

 an interesting series of ring ornaments engraved on the blade, the chape of a sword of pouch- 



1 Fig. 503, p. 403. « Op. cit. 442. 



' See Evans, Bronze Imp. 443-4. ♦ Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, xii. 257. 



' Arch. Journ. ixx. 279. Journ. Anthrop. Inst. iii. 230. 



'323 



