523 
these shields, specimens have been found in Northumberland 
and Durham, and a very fine one was exhibited lately in 
York, by Sir Greorge "Wonibwell, found, I believe, near 
Newburgh. The other type of shield, which belongs to a 
later period, when iron had come into use, is oblong in form, 
and generally profusely covered with the peculiar style of 
ornamentation which has been attributed to the late Keltic 
period, and which is almost peculiar to the British islands. 
These shields are sometimes further ornamented with enamel, 
a magnificent example of which, found in the Thames, is 
now in the British Museum. 
The offensive arms were the sword, spear, javelin, dagger, 
sling, and bow. The first four were made of bronze. The 
sword, which varies from twenty to thirty inches in length, 
is leaf-shaped, and meant for thrusting ; the handle, which is 
small, has been made of wood or bone, riveted to the metal 
taijg, but no trace of it has as yet been found, nor, except in 
a single instance, has any scabbard been discovered, though 
metal chapes for the scabbard end are frequent. The sword 
was attached by rings to the person, and as many as four 
have been found in connection with it. The spear and 
javelin heads are of various sizes, and have sometimes loops 
at the sides, apparently to attach them to the shaft ; the usual 
mode of fixing them is, however, by a single rivet through 
the socket. The dagger is a short, broad, and strong weapon, 
and has frequently been found buried with its owner, which 
is not the case with the sword and spear. It has had a 
sheath of wood, the remains of which I have seen still left 
upon it, and a handle of horn or bone, sometimes prettily 
ornamented with! small gold studs. A later type of sword, 
corresponding to the time of the oblong shields, is made of 
iron, with a sheath of bronze, in rare cases ornamented with 
enamel. The shape of this sword is not so much like a leaf 
as is the bronze one. I have a fine specimen of a sheath, 
