DISCOVERY OF A GOLD CUP IN CORNWALL. 37 



at the bottom, secured by small lozenge-shaped nuts or collars. 

 This appendage, it should be observed, seems, at least in its 

 present state, fit only for means of suspension, barely affording 

 sufficient space for the smallest finger to be passed through it. 

 Indeed, the cup does not stand firmly on its base, and I have 

 doubts whether it was intended to do so. On the bottom of the 

 cup there are concentric ribs or corrugations, like -those on the 

 rest of it, around a little central knob about ^ in. in diameter. 

 Thus the corrugated fashion of work extends over the entire sur- 

 face. The prevalence of this corrugation in early gold ornaments 

 may have been caused by some constructive advantage ; as we see 

 in the frequent use, in our own times, of thin wavy sheets of 

 metal for temporary and other buildings, whereby a greater degree 

 of strength is obtained with economy of metal. This, in objects 

 of gold, would of course be a cogent consideration. 



With regard to the mode of manufacture of such a cup I have 

 had the advantage of obtaining the valuable opinion of Messrs. 

 Garrard, who carefully examined and weighed it. They found in 

 it no sign of solder, nor any rivet used except for attaching the 

 handle ; and they considered that a like cup, of the same material, 

 might be produced without difficulty out of a single flat lamina 

 of thin gold, hammered or beaten into a similar form. They 

 recognised it as belonging to a type of Scandinavian antiquities 

 that had occasionally been brought under their notice. I mention 

 this because some practical gentlemen, to whom I showed it 

 last summer, considered the workmanship to be of a chs^racter 

 which it would not be easy to reproduce without a mould. 



Since the re-discovery of this very remarkable treasure-trove, 

 I have looked in vain for any like cup, of the same material, to 

 which so early a date can be assigned (at least since the well- 

 known prize won by the valiant " Carodac ! ") ; and have been 

 kindly aided in my search by friends more learned than myself in 

 the history of such art. Mr. Way has pointed out to my notice 

 a cup of amber, of a character not dissimilar, found near Brighton 

 several years ago. It was found in connection with remains of a 

 so-called Keltic character, and is figured in the Sussex Archaeo- 

 logical Transactions, and also in the Archceological Journal, vol. 

 XV, p. 90. The small handle has some resemblance to that of the 

 present cup, but the material distinguishes the two. The general 



