JOUENAL 



OF THE 



ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CORNWALL. 



No. VI. OCTOBER. 1866. 



I. — Notice of an Antique Ivory Tablet found at Bodmin, with remarks 

 on its use. 



THE curious ivory here figured was found in a dry stone hedge 

 in the town of Bodmin ; and soon after its discovery, it came 

 into the possession of Mr. Thomas Q. Couch. It was exhibited in 

 the temporary Museum of The Royal Institution of Cornwall at the 

 Truro Meeting of the Cambrian Archceological Association ; and 

 since then it has been in the hands of several learned antiquaries, 

 among whom it has excited admiration by the beauty of its work- 

 manship, and discussion as to its use and the meanuig of its 

 strange sculptures. From tne style of the canopied heading it 

 may be set down as, probably, a work of the latter part of the 

 14th Century. The accompanying engraving will render unneces- 

 sary any description, which would certainly fail to give a notion 

 of the original, and might possibly mislead ; and it will also give 

 our readers an opportunity for exercising their learned ingenuity 

 on the interpretation of its story, or stories. 



We are indebted to Mr. Albert Way, M.A., F.S.A., &c., Hon- 

 orary Secretary of the Archceological Institute, for an explanation 

 of its use, and for many suggestions as to the subjects represented 

 oh it. These will be best given in the following Letters, which' 

 we have his permission to print : — 



b2 



