35 
Certain celts possess a small loop at the side, sometimes even 
two loops, placed on opposite sides of the implement. Through 
these, it has been supposed, that a thong was passed, the better 
to secure the celt to its handle. Drawings of the supposed method 
adopted are given in this case. The opinion, however, is gaining 
ground that these loops were employed for suspending the celt 
from the girdle or in the dwelling when not in use. 
A socketed bronze celt was found at Tadcaster, in Yorkshire, 
plate 13, fig. 7, with a bronze ring passing through its loop. This 
ring was formed of wire, the ends of which were not soldered or 
fastened in any way. Perhaps it was intended to serve the purpose 
of a split ring , upon which more than the one celt found upon it 
might be strung, and from which all or any could be removed at 
pleasure. The “ military train” ( calories ) of the Roman army when 
on the march often carried the celts ( dolabras ) without encumbering 
themselves with the handles; these were cut when required. • Such 
a ring as that attached to the Tadcaster celt would have been more 
useful than a thong for suspending the celts at such a time. 
Certain forms of celts, as Nos. 8 to 22, must have required the 
handle to be cleft so as to enclose the upper part of the implement. 
These would need to be bound on with thongs or plaited fibre. 
The socketed celts, Nos. 23 to 30, could have been secured by 
the insertion of a small wedge, or even by giving a wedge-like end 
to the handle itself. In one type, No. 9, and Plate 13, fig. 2, the 
lateral ridges appear to have been beaten round the cleft wooden 
handle, which thus would have held it firmly in place. At Notre 
Dame d’Or, in France, a mould was found for casting this type, and 
in the mould the cavities for casting these broad lateral ridges were 
straight , whereas the eight celts of this type, found at the same 
time and place, all had the lateral ridges bent as if to enclose the 
handle. 
That celts and other bronze implements and weapons were not 
imported, but were actually cast in the British Isles, seems to be 
proved by the discovery, not only of moulds but also of rough 
metal for casting ; thus in May, 1735, more than 100 celts, to¬ 
gether with a quantity of cinders and several lumps of metal, were 
found on Easterly Moor, near York. Similar discoveries have 
been made elsewhere, as at Danbury and Fifield, in Essex ; at 
Westwick Row, in Hertfordshire, in which case the lump of metal 
was pure copper , now with the celts in the British Museum ; and 
in 1845, at Westow, in Yorkshire. The late Mr. Britton possessed a 
celt, embedded in its matrix of metal. Such discoveries have not 
been limited to this country ; masses of unalloyed copper and of 
unalloyed tin, with traces of a foundry, were found at Thonon, on 
the Lake of Geneva. Numerous other instances could be quoted. 
It has been stated that no bronze celts are found in certain 
countries as Italy and the Channel Islands, but this is an error. 
Count Caylus obtained seven from Herculaneum, one of which 
was nearly eight inches in length, with singular projecting horns 
