82 AN EXPLORATION OF TREGAER ROUNDS. 



The small lumps of iron found in trench No. 2 are shapeless 

 and, of course, much oxidised. 



The nodules of supposed mineral which had been fired turned 

 out, on examination, to contain no metal. The shining specks 

 were quartz and mica. 



The pot sherds found in No. 2 represent the remains of at 

 least two vessels. One of these, judging from the sweep of the 

 rim fragment (fig. 2), had a mouth diameter of about six inches, 

 and a probable height of about 10 inches. The outside upper 

 portions of the sherds of the pot are darkened, apparently by 

 smoke, whilst the sherds representing the lower walls of the 

 vessel retain their original colour of light yellowish brown. 

 This dark staining of the upper portion might have been caused 

 when the pot was fired during process of manufacture or by 

 standing, when in iise, near a fire with the lower part inserted 

 in a hole in the ground. The interior of the pot retains its 

 original colour. The ornamentation is of the bronze age type. 

 The remains of the other vessel indicate a mouth diameter of 

 about the same as the above but it was, probably, not quite so 

 high. The pot is brick red, both inside and out, and the 

 remains of ornamentation are of an early type — (fig. No. 3). 

 Both these vessels were probably wheel-made. 



Two sherds demand special attention. The first (fig. 1) is 

 almost black, and is very similar in appearance to Gaulish 

 pottery of the early iron age. The ornamentation is composed 

 of a curved line springing from a circle which is intersected with 

 lines forming a cross. This type of curving and circular orna- 

 mentation exists on a bronze sword scabbard found at Hunsbury 

 Camp, near Northampton, * and also on a bronze mirror found 

 at St. ICeverne, Cornwall, ^ and on two other specimens 

 discovered in a late bronze and early iron age cemetery at 

 Mount Batten, Plymouth. ^ 



The second sherd (fig. 4) has two holes drilled through it, 

 one of which contains the oxidised remains of an iron rivet. It 

 is not clear whether this is intended as a repair or for some other 

 purpose. This sherd is, probably, part of a pot not made on a 



4 Associated Archl. Socs. Report xviii., pp. 53-61. 



5 Archl. Journal, Vol. xxx., p. 267. 



6 Archeeologia, xi. pp. 500-10. 



