A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



are assigned, were given by Mr. Bering's daughter, Mrs. Ne.Tll, to the British Museum. 

 Unfortunately, no accurate observations were made at the time the burials were found. In 

 the first vault were an amphora of Greek type and origin, angular at the shoulders and pointed 

 below; two fire-dogs or andirons (53 J in. wide at the top and 46 in. below and 38 in. high), 

 the uprights of which (2 in. by | in. in section) stand on arched feet and terminate at the 

 top in what are apparently intended for bulls' heads having knobbed horns, and a cross-bar 

 (2 in. by i J in. in section) between the uprights 6 in. from the ground (PI. xvii) ; some fragments 

 of a bronze bowl (i2| in. diameter and 4j% in. high) of classical design, with a base (6J in. 

 diameter and i,ij in. high) having an edge moulded with egg-and-tongue pattern, and with 

 drop handles and a hp formed by bending back the metal ; three heavy bronze masks of purely 

 Celtic origin (li in. long), curved at the back to fit a circular object, the faces showing straight 

 hair and heavy moustaches (PI. viii) ; handle of bronze jug of Itahan manufacture, possibly 

 from the Capua district ; a cordoned pottery tazza of Late Celtic type and the base of a pedestal 

 urn. The second vault contained five amphorae similar to those in the first vault ; two similar 

 fire-dogs ; an iron frame (42 in. high, 28J in. long and 22J in. wide), possibly used for sacrificial 



I 



Late Celtic Bronze Patella found at Welwyn (restored) (J) 



purposes, computed of four uprights (4 in. wide) ornamented with twisted bar iron and two 

 horizontal bands (2 in. wide) (PI. xvii) ; a bronze patella (24 in. long, 1 1 Jin. diam.) with long handle ; 

 the handle and a part of the body of a bronze jug of Itahan type, similar to the handle in the 

 first vault but larger ; the bronze handle and lower edge of a Late Celtic tankard ; a bronze 

 ri°g.(iT% j°- l°°g) ^vith rivet or knob, possibly for hfting pail by attachment to the handle; 

 a pair of silver vases (4 in. high, 4J in. diam.) of classical origin (PL viii), each ornamented with 

 egg-and-tongue pattern round the hp, with a guilloche pattern between beaded borders below, 

 and round the foot is a beaded edging below egg-and-tongue border ; a pair of silver kyhx 

 handles (3 in. long) of classical workmanship ; bronze domes, two I J in. diameter and about 

 fifteen ^^ in. diameter, probably for covering rivet heads ; a pedestal cinerary um and a 

 cordoned pottery tazza. The separate burials contained pottery only ; the one held a 

 pedestal cinerary urn, a barrel-shaped vase and two bowls with burnt bones, and the other 

 a small pedestal um, a vase with oval body and a small tazza. It is an interesting fact 

 that the amphorae and all the bronze and silver objects of classical design show distinctly 

 the influence of Greek craftsmanship. [Arch. Ixiii, 1-30]. 



(i) ' The most important building which has been discovered is the remains of a house in the 

 rectory gardens. Fhnt walls, forming an angle, were found in 1906 facing the north-eaat 



166 



