on rent's cavern, Devonshire. 21 



of marine origin, since they are distinctly lithodoniized. They consist of 

 limestone, quartz, red grit, greenstone, and flint ; all except the last derivable 

 from the rocks of the immediate district, and were probably obtained from 

 the neighbouring beaches, where also the flints were perhaps found ; for 

 though there is no flint in situ within five miles,- it is a well-known fact 

 that such pebbles are met with on existing beaches at much greater distances 

 from any known accumulation of flints in place. The rounded stones are 

 extremely numerous in the black mould, and were undoubtedly selected and 

 taken to the cavern ; but for what purpose it may not be easy to determine. 

 There are also several pieces of hard greenish-grey grit of an elongated 

 form, which were perhaps used as whetstones. Angular pieces of slate are 

 also numerous. They are probably fragments of articles fashioned by man, 

 as occasionally a piece is met with which is obviously a portion of a curvi- 

 lineal plate. Such plates are mentioned by Mr. M'Enery, who supposes 

 them to have been used as covers for earthenware vessels. The human in- 

 dustrial remains consist of articles in bronze and in bone, pottery, spindle- 

 whorls, and flint-flakes. The bronze articles are a fibula, the bowl and 

 part of the stem of a spoon, a spear head, a fragment of a socketed celt, two 

 or three rings, one eoil of a helical spring, a pin about 3| inches long, and 

 and an object resembling a horseshoe in form, but not more than an inch long. 

 In this connexion may be mentioned a lump of metal which, from its 

 general appearance, would be termed copper ore, but from its interior, a small 

 portion of which has been exposed accidentally, it is probably native copper, 

 or a mass of metal which has been smelted. A similar mass mentioned by 

 Mr. M'Enery, is said to have been analyzed " by Mr. Phillips and found to be 

 pure virgin ore." Much of the pottery, excepting one small piece, undoubt- 

 edly Samian, is extremely coarse, and in most cases it is unglazed. A large 

 number of fragments have been found, but nothing approaching a perfect 

 vessel. They are generally ornamented, and from the different .patterns, as 

 well as from other facts, it may be concluded that they represent a consider- 

 able number of utensils. One piece probably formed part of a vessel in 

 which things were burnt, as on its inner surface there is a firm admixture of 

 clay and small bits of charcoal. Much of the pottery is without doubt of 

 Roman age. 



The objects fashioned in bone are a comb, which in size and outline 

 resembles a common shoe-lifter having teeth cut in the broad end ; a 

 spoon, neatly formed of a portion of a rib, and measuring about 6 inches long 

 and ^jths of an inch broad ; a chisel about 2-jSjths inches in length, and at 

 its broad end -jiyths of an inch in width ; a wedge, somewhat rudely fashioned 

 out of a horn or antler ; two small fragments which appear to be portions of 

 combs, and one of which bears traces of ornamentation ; and an article about 

 3 inches long, apparently the handle of some tool. 



The spindle-whorls are formed of different materials, such as Devonian 

 red grit, one of the harder varieties of Triassic sandstone (rocks abundant 

 in the neighbourhood), a somewhat coarse, greenish, schistose rock not found 

 near the district, and Kimmeridge coal. They differ somewhat in dimen- 

 sions and in workmanship ; some being well finished, whilst others are so 

 roughly made as to render it safer perhaps to call them simply " holed 

 stones." "With them may be mentioned a large bead, which appears to con- 

 sist of amber or some analogous substance ; and a small, holed, ellipsoidal 

 fragment of limestone, which was perforated probably by some lithodomous 

 mollusk. 



The flint-flakes are four in number, two of dark and two of light or white 



