18 



means of an eagle's claw, the three chains of the scale. The balance of 

 the beam is held up by a bronze model of a swan, very similar in size and 

 form to that believed to be one of the birds of Oden, discovered recently 

 in his tomb at Upsala. It is manifest that these small portable scales 

 were used by their possessors in the same manner that the' guinea scales 

 and weights were carried about to fairs and markets in the early part 

 of the present century. It is, however, to the weights, now for the first 

 time discovered, and to develope their artistic structure, that special at- 

 tention should be directed. They are ten in number, and vary from 

 390 grains to 1850. Six are circular, and the rim of each is capped 

 with a decorated disc let into it, and weighted below with lead, 

 probably according to the number of ounces or grains it represented. 

 The following cuts, the natural size, illustrate some of the most 

 remarkable of these articles. The first is that of a dog's head, most 

 beautifully cut, and also tooled in brass, and highly gilt, No. 2389 in the 

 registry, and weighing in its present imperfect state 1547 grains. As, 

 however, some of the bottom lead from this and other specimens has 

 been removed, it is not now possible to say whether those weights are 

 multiples one of another. The eyes were originally jewelled ; and the 



No. 2392. No. 2393. No. 2394. 



back portion of the frontal mitre-like projection is also highly decorated 

 with volutes, or Scandinavian scrolls, like that on the sides, and the 

 nostril projections were tipped with redenamel. The bronze portion 

 was riveted to the leaden disc. 



