480 Notes on Iron Objects of Roman (J) Age in the Society's Mv scum. 



"A sort of Cave of this (T) shape about three feet high in the arch, 



near which were found twenty-five Boman coins in the space of about 



six feet, also an arrowhead, apparently English, and a weapon, very 



like an old billhook, only of a large size." 



The billhook is a massive implement 13in. long, with an open 



socket, very like many old-fashioned billhooks still in use. 1 



The lance, or arrowhead, has a plain rather narrow leaf-shaped 

 blade and a long split socket. 



jSTo. 5, Plate I., may possibly be a portion of -a bridle bit, and 

 No. 6 is a nail, 2^in. long, with a mushroom-shaped head l|in. in 

 diameter. 



Plate II. 



From Eushall Down, presented to the Museum by Mr. A. 

 Stralton, come the pair of iron compasses, 6in. in length, and the 

 clasp knife or razor in a rudely-fashioned curved stag's horn handle. 

 Nos. 1. and 2, Plate II. It cannot be definitely asserted that 

 either of these are of Roman age, but a number of the objects from 

 Eushall Down certainly are of that age, and in the Silchester Col- 

 lection at Reading are compasses, larger, but otherwise very like 

 these. . 



Pig. 3, Plate II., is an axehead with square hammer end, found 

 at Pans Lane, Devizes, apparently in association with the Roman 

 pottery, of which a quantity has been found here. There are 

 similar implements in the Silchester Collection at Reading, and 

 Gen. Pitt-Rivers figures one found in the Roman Well at Woodcuts 

 Village (Excavations, I., 81, Plate xxvi., Fig. 2). 



Fig. 4, Plate II., an arrow or spear head with socket, 3^in. 

 long, the blade is flat and lozenge-shaped or nearly triangular 

 without barbs. It came from Oldbury Hill. 



Fig. 5, Plate II., a broad bladed, single-edged knife, with tang, 

 length, 5Jin., probably Roman. From Wilsford down. 



Fig. 6, Plate II., a curious hasp ? the end fashioned like a dog's 

 head, length, lfin. ? of what date. From Wilsford down. 



Figs. 7 and 9, Plate II. are L-shaped keys, with ring heads, from 



1 In the Guildhall Museum is a very similar implement, there classed as 

 mediaeval or later. Catalogue, Plate C, Fig. 12. 



