438 
trade was carried on by the Phoenicians with the Cassiterides, 
or Tin-islands, centuries before tbe Christian era. While, 
however, the former metals were in general use for various 
objects, lead, also a Cornish metal, does not appear to have 
been in request for the manufacture of celts, as I am not 
aware of any record of a celt having been found composed of 
that metal alone, which from its softness certainly does not 
appear well adapted for the purposes to which such imple- 
ments are generally supposed to have been applied. 
A specimen, however, of the ordinary socketed celt, with 
a loop, and made of lead, has been for many years in the 
Museum of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, 
obtained from Anwick, near New Sleaford, in Lincolnshire. 
It measures four inches in length, and nearly a quarter of an 
inch in thickness at the base, and weighs a little exceeding 
three-quarters of a pound. The lead appears much altered 
in colour ; the surface, acted upon by age, has what a 
numismatist would call a coating of patina upon it. Placed 
as this specimen had so long been with several other celts of 
the usual material, it had not attracted particular attention 
until recently, when, upon showing it to the Rev. William 
Greenwell, of Durham, that gentleman immediately recog- 
nized the novelty of the metal for implements of that descrip- 
tion, and expressed a desire to know something of its history* 
As there was every indication of age and genuineness in the 
specimen, it became important to inquire what were the pre- 
cise circumstances connected with its discovery. Much must 
depend not only upon the locality in which it occurred, but 
also the character of the parties from whom it was originally 
obtained, which alone could remove any suspicion which might 
be entertained of its being a mere modern fabrication, like 
some of the flint implements from Bridlington and Scar- 
borough, the handiwork of the notorious Plint Jack. I 
therefore applied to the gentleman by whom it was presented 
