INSCRIBED ROMAN STONES OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 111 
a part of the central portion. Various devices, some of them of 
an ornamental, some of a significant, character, enrich the different 
parts of the altars, while on one side may sometimes be seen the 
sacrificial axe and knife, on the other the wzcews, or jug, for hold- 
ing the libation-wine and the saucer-like fazera, with or without 
a handle, for receiving it when poured out. Of those in this list 
the most tasteful in design is No. 24, while the most interesting, 
both on account of its inscription and its ornamentation is the Dis- 
ciplina altar, No. 23. Much interesting information regarding 
all of them will be found in Professor Baldwin Brown’s paper 
already referred to. 
More Roman inscribed stones have been found in Dumfries- 
shire than in any other county of Scotland ; but they all probably 
belong to cne locality—Birrens. In the present paper the letters 
of the inscriptions will be printed in plain capitals, without liga- 
tures, and always with a space after each word or part of a 
word, no attempt bemg made to show peculiarities of lettering. 
The known facts in the history of the stones, and any points of 
interest regarding their ornamentation or inscriptions, will be briefly 
noted. Those who may wish for fuller details will find them in 
a paper printed in vol. xxxi. of the Proceedings of the Society of 
Antiquaries of Scotland, of which what follows is little more 
than an abstract. The volume just mentioned contains special 
reports by members of the Birrens committee on the excavations 
recently carried on there at the expense of the National Society, 
in the course of which important additions were made to the 
inscribed stones of Dumfriesshire.* It is understood that Mr 
James Barbour will read a notice of operations that were so 
fruitful in results at a subsequent meeting of this society. Any 
further reference to them here in connection with the discoveries 
then made is thus rendered unnecessary. 
* ACCOUNT OF THE EXCAVATION OF BIRRENS, A ROMAN STATION IN 
ANNANDALE, UNDERTAKEN BY THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND 
tn 1895: (1) General History of the Place and of the Excavations, and 
Description of the Defences. By D. Christison, M.D., Secretary. (2) 
The Interior Buildings at Birrens. By James Barbour, F.S.A.Scot., 
Dumfries. (3) The Inscribed Stones. By James Macdonald, LL.D., 
Vice-President. (4) The General Structure and Ornamentation of the 
Altars. By Professor Baldwin Brown, F.S.A.Scot. (5) The Pottery, 
Bronze, &c., found at Birrens. By Joseph Anderson, LL.D., Assistant- 
Secretary and Keeper of the Museum. 
