No. 27. — 1884.] TISSAMAHARAMA ARCHAEOLOGY. 41 



widest part ; the other was 2*6 inches wide. Both were 

 fully three-quarters of an inch thick in the middle. It is 

 easy to be seen that these were made by welding together 

 flat plates of iron of various thicknesses. The larger axe 

 appears to be made of only two plates, the smaller one of 

 about seven very thin plates. These axes had no socket for 

 the handle — (at any rate, there is no sign of one in the 

 pieces which have been found) — and they may perhaps 

 have been fixed to the handle in the same manner as the 

 ancient celts. The edge of the blade of the larger axe is 2*8 

 inches long. (See illustration.) 



8. Three long iron chisels, and part of three others. The 

 largest found measures 7 inches in length, l\ inch in 

 breadth, and has a cutting edge 1 J inch long. Another, 

 which now measures 5| inches in length, may have been 

 nearly as long as the above. Its breadth at its widest part is 

 1J inch, at the head less than 1 inch; the edge is also 1J 

 inch long. At about a quarter of its length from the 

 edge, its thickness is # 7 inch. Another chisel is rather 

 lighter in make. All of these chisels have an upper and 

 under face, the former being straight, the latter bevelled, 

 as is usual at present in the case of broad chisels. (See 

 illustration.) 



9. A shorter but otherwise similar chisel of iron, now 

 measuring 4*4 inches long, but formerly probably inches. 

 It has a length of edge of 1| inch, and a maximum thick- 

 ness of about three-quarters of an inch. It has a distinct 

 upper and under face, like the others. 



10. Two small thin chisels, the longer of which is 3*9 

 inches in length, the shorter probably not measuring more 

 than 2i inches. They have a length of cutting edge of 

 1*1 inch and are only '20 inch and -15 inch thick in the 

 middle, respectively. Of course both sides are alike. These 

 must have been used for delicate work. (See illustration.) 



11. A large number of nails and rivets, and plates of 

 iron, which apparently held together a substantial frame- 

 work of wood, — perhaps one of the war-chariots of the time. 

 These have already been referred to as being concealed 

 at the back of one of the houses. (See " House," &c.) 

 Some of them have fragments of wood (now converted into 

 a yellowish-red, earthy substance) attached to them still. 



