220 Chronicles of Science. [April, 



bronze swords of the previous period we now have to deal with 

 damascened and welded swords of iron. Bronze, or more properly 

 brass, was, however, in use ; bnt zinc was mixed with the copper 

 instead of tin. The use of gold is common to the two periods ; but 

 silver, ivory, glass, agate, and porcelain beads appear to have made 

 their first appearance during the Early Iron age. The ornamen- 

 tation of the manufactured article differed very strikingly in the 

 two periods: in the Bronze age it was geometrical, stiff, and 

 monotonous : in the Early Iron age it consisted of heads and figures 

 of animals, human figures, stars, pearls, &c, and not unfrequently 

 of a religious device known as the fylfot. Boats of considerable 

 size were built during this period, one found in Xydam l[oss 

 measuring seventy-seven feet in length. Pioman antiquities have 

 been found mixed up with those belonging to the inhabitants of 

 Denmark at this period : but they rarely occur alone ; and not a 

 single Eoman sepulchre has been met with. 



Now, contrasting these characteristics of the two periods, it 

 becomes an mtri: ::l_- question whether they lead to the inference 

 that the transition from the Bronze to the Early Iron age was 

 gradual : the result of an advancing civilization, and of peaceful 

 intercourse with other nations ; or whether they point to the con- 

 clusion that, at the termination of the Bronze period, Denmark was 

 invaded by a more highly civilized people ? Mr. Engelhardt dis- 

 cusses this question very clearly, and accepts the latter alternative. 

 There is no connecting link between the swords of the Bronze and 

 those of the Early Iron age; we have to do with " new ornaments 

 as well as new materials, and a different composition and treatment 

 of those formerly known." The artistic ornamentation does not 

 indicate the infancy of art, and, what is remarkable, there is 

 ol servable i: a decline of art from its comparatively high develop- 

 ment in the early period of the Iron age, to a much lower standard 

 towar h ite .exclusion, with regard to style and form, as well as to 

 technical skill in metal-work." Then the sudden appearance of 

 horses, already domesticated, and the equally sudden possession 

 of an alphabet point in the same direction. 



Another question now arises : Who were the invader- ? ILr. 

 Engelhardt observes, u The Romans, we know, never conquered 

 Denmark. Their- armies, assisted by their fleets, came as far as the 

 Elbe, but never beyond it : '" but we cannot find that he endeavour's to 

 come to any conclusion on the subject, or even that he raises the ques- 

 tion. Indeed, perhaps the only passage in the book bearing on it 

 is a footnote, in which it is stated that Dr. L. Muller considers 

 the religious symbol termed the fylfot '•to have originated in 

 Eastern Asia, from whence it spread over a great part of Europe." 

 At present it would probably be futile to enter into any argument 

 on this point, but as our knowledge of the antiquities of the same 



