BY THE EET. DE. HOOPPELL. 139 



far been explored. Many graves and skeletons have been dis- 

 closed. One tombstone, very like our modern gravestones, has 

 also come to light. Its inscription, beyond "D. ]\I.," is hardly 

 legible. It has been a disappointment to many that so few in- 

 scribed stones have yet been discovered. That such exist is 

 almost certain ; but where to seek them is beyond prediction. 

 We may hope that, ere the whole area is built upon, some find of 

 altars, or other written stones, will be accomplished. It would 

 be of immense importance archaeologically to be able to decide 

 indisputably the Eoman name of South Shields. The Station 

 was very large, and evidently of great importance, l^umerous in- 

 scribed tiles have been found which bear the letters "COH. Y. G." 

 One only interpretation of these seems possible, namely, " Cohors 

 Quinta Grallorum," the Pifth Cohort of the Gauls. Another 

 inscription, ^^ has been found, which some suggest means 

 '' Aelia Classica." Por my own part I think the Station was 

 Tunnocelum, and that it was garrisoned by the ^ ' Eirst Marine 

 Cohort called the Aelian." Whether that cohort was also the 

 "Fifth Cohort of the Gauls," or whether two cohorts can have 

 been quartered in the Station at one and the same time, I cannot 

 say. The fact that an altar, distinctly mentioning the Pifth 

 Cohort of the Gauls, has been found at Cramond, near Edinburgh, 

 does not appear to me inconsistent with South Shields having 

 been their head quarters; for the famous a,ltar, discovered at 

 the Lawe two hundred years ago, and described by Dr. Lister, 

 shows, by its inscription, that it was dedicated in consequence 

 of the safe return of Caracalla, — from an expedition against 

 Caledonian enemiep, it is believed. The altar found at Cramond 

 may easily have been dedicated by an officer of the same cohort 

 during the expedition. A remarkable number of scratched in- 

 scriptions on fragments of pottery have been found, whicli may 

 hereafter prove to be capable of imparting more information than 

 has yet been obtained from them. 



I am glad to be able, through the kindness of the pliotographer, 

 Mr. Haggitt, to lay bffore the IMceting a series of photographs 

 taken by order of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England, 

 to whom the land containing the more interesting of the relics 



