REMAINS FOUND NEAR HITCHXN. 
41 
black to pale yellow, containing burnt human bones, charcoal, and 
iron nails. Accompanying each urn was a Samian dish and a wine- 
bottle, some of these being full of liquid, but possessing none of 
the flavour of the famous Falernian wine. By the side of one of 
the urns there was a baby’s feeding-bottle, thus touchingly indi¬ 
cating that the ashes of a mother and infant rested in the larger 
vessel, and illustrating the care that was then taken in providing 
even for the anticipated need of the spirit of the little babe whilst 
being ferried over the river Styx under Charon’s charge. Some of 
the Samian dishes retained the metallic rivets with which the 
fractured pieces had been joined, still holding them together. I do 
not know of any other description of Bom an ware that had the 
same care bestowed in mending it. Of the whole number of 
vessels, many were so hopelessly crushed that it was useless to 
attempt to restore them. Bo two vessels were exactly alike. 
Several other small vessels'—some of elegant shape—which had 
probably belonged to the departed, were also buried with the urns. 
Whether the relatives of the deceased were prompted in this by 
the thought that they might again be used in the spirit-world, or 
by a superstitious idea in regard to the property of the departed, 
can only be matter for conjecture. It is easy to recognize much 
of the pottery, of which we picked out no fewer than forty-five 
varieties distinct in colour and texture. Several ancient kilns 
having been found in various parts of England, with the ware still 
standing on the shelves in the ovens, we are enabled to determine 
where the different varieties were made. One of the most famous 
of these was discovered about sixty years since at Castor, in North¬ 
amptonshire, the ancient Durobrivae.^ A specimen of this ware 
was found near Hitchin, with its device in high relief, and similar 
pieces are constantly found in many parts of England. Hunting- 
scenes formed a favourite pattern on the better class of the Castor 
vessels. In connection with pottery I may mention that at Sandy, 
the ancient Salinae, an iron implement with serrated edge was dug 
up, the teeth being alternately set in opposite directions. I was 
puzzled to understand its use, until, turning out a piece of pottery 
near, and comparing the indentations upon it, I found that they 
corresponded exactly with the marks which would be made with 
the teeth of the implement. 
A line of black earth in another part of the field at Wymondley, 
extending from north to south across it, was perceptible. This 
was carefully excavated, and it seems to have been a ditch into 
which all sorts of broken or rejected articles of domestic use were 
thrown. There were heaps of Samian ware, several pieces of Castor, 
some of Upchurch, made on the banks of the Medway, and also 
pieces of New Eorest pottery, strainers, and parts of six mortaria, 
lined with sharp pieces of flint or small pebbles, to facilitate the 
work of trituration. A strigil, a bent metal implement with which 
the attendant slaves scraped their masters after leaving the bath, 
* The name Durobrivee is also known as that of a town of the Cantii, the 
present Rochester.'— Ed. 
