522 
Whatever skill these people showed in the fabrication of 
their ornaments, they showed almost still more in that of 
their arms. Nothing more exquisite in shape, or more 
skilful in workmanship, can be seen than their leaf-shaped 
bronze swords and spear-heads. To take their arms, how- 
ever, in order ; and first I will notice those for defence. 
Nothing' like a helmet or any defence for the head has been 
found, in fact the shield seems to have been the sole arm of 
defence. Of this there are two varieties; the one, which 
belongs to the bronze age, is circular and about two feet in 
diameter, slightly convex, and the metal very thin. It has 
a handle at the back, and has not been worn on the arm, but 
held in the hand. The outer surface is ornamented over the 
whole of it by concentric raised circles, between which are 
small circular bosses ; the whole of hammered-up work. Of 
able, and to rest upon no sound argument. Mr. Wright's principal facts are 
these : that a bronze leaf-shaped sword was found in a Roman camp, that these 
swords, as well as spear-heads and celts, have been found near Roman roads, and 
that they are like representations of such weapons upon Roman coins. His first 
fact is of no value, for there is no proof that such a sword was found in a Roman 
camp, aud even if one had been, it would have proved nothing as regarded its 
date, for we might find in one of our gardens a Roman coin, and then we should 
have to call it, according to Mr. "Wright, an English coin. That bronze weapons, 
&c, have been found near Roman roads, is not surprising, for it is difficult to get 
very far away from a R,oman road, and also in many cases such roads followed 
the line of earlier British ways. The representation on coins, very small objects, 
shows nothing as to exact shape or minute detail, and cannot be allowed much 
weight in the argument. 
The facts on the other side seem quite conclusive as to the native origin of 
bronze swords and spear-heads. The Roman sword was of iron ; the very word 
ferrum shows that. The leaf-shaped swords have been very rarely found in 
Italy, whilst they have been found in the greatest abundance in Ireland and 
Denmark, places where Rome never exerted much, if any, influence. And not 
to multiply proofs, I will only add one more, that amongst the swords, spear- 
heads, celts, and other bronze articles, which have been found in large quantities 
and on very many occasions, not one single object has ever been discovered 
which, without controversy, was Roman ; a fact quite inconceivable if those 
articles were Roman, or made by a people who had been for long in contact with 
Roman art and civilization. 
