Archaeological Journal/Volume 7/Account of the Discovery of Ornaments and Remains, Supposed to be of Danish Origin, in the Parish of Caenby, Lincolnshire

by Edwin George Jarvis

ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF ORNAMENTS AND REMAINS, SUPPOSED TO BE OF DANISH ORIGIN, IN THE PARISH OF CAENBY, LINCOLNSHIRE.

COMMUNICATED BY THE REV. EDWIN JARVIS.

It is some time since my attention was drawn to a barrow or tumulus at Caenby, the Chenebi of Domesday, and during the autumn of the past year I determined to ascertain whether it contained any Early British or Saxon remains. Having obtained, therefore, the willing consent of J. Golden, Esq., close to whose residence the barrow is situated, I fixed on September 25 for the commencement of operations. The position of the tumulus is about a quarter of a mile due east from the Hull and Lincoln road, the old Ermin Street, and about ten miles North of Lincoln. It stands on elevated ground, is very regular in shape, and has been planted with Scotch fir, of no very great age. The first proceeding was to measure the barrow, which appeared to be about 340 feet in circumference, and to rise about 8 feet from the level ground, in the centre. I understand that a saw-pit was made on the east side, about twelve years since, but Mr. Golden is not aware that it has otherwise been disturbed. I desired the workmen to cut a trench from S.W. to N.E., that direction being the most clear from trees; the trench formed was about a yard in width at the outer edge of the barrow, gradually increasing to about 8 feet, and latterly to 12 feet in the centre. We thus had convenient space for operation, and were less likely to miss anything of interest. After working for some time, our curiosity was stimulated by meeting with some appearance of burnt soil and stones, but our ardour was quickly damped by finding small pieces of coal amongst the debris. We now traced distinctly the wall of a lime-kiln, just at the eastern edge, and in the direction of our trench; luckily we were on the outside of it. Our first day's work was not very encouraging.

October 9.—Discouraged, but not in despair, we recommenced operations this morning. We continued the excavation in the same direction as before, working down to the undisturbed stratum of rock. We soon passed the wall of the lime-kiln, which did not extend nearly to the centre of the barrow. We now found that the rock had been taken out

Chased bronze and silver plates. Ornaments of a Shield.
Discovered in a tumulus at Caenby.

to about a foot in depth, and we traced the limits of this excavation. At the N.W. corner of the trench it was about a foot and a half long, and about a foot wide, whilst towards the centre it was about a yard square. It contained nothing but soil. We now calculated that we were exactly at the centre of the barrow; we had found no stones above the natural rock, nothing but fine soil, but it now appeared to be much lighter than heretofore. Presently two portions of bones were brought to view; I thought, parts of the os humeri. One of the workmen handed me a small green lump; it proved to be a buckle; the tongue was quite distinct. (See cut, orig. size).

From this moment small thin pieces of copper were continually turning up; then a bit of whitish-purple metal, subsequently ascertained to be silver, with interlaced ornament. The workmen had plenty of room, and used their tools as cautiously as possible. In the N. E. corner of the trench there appeared a deposit of bones; we cleared them gently, and found that it was a human skeleton, in a sitting position, but very much crushed together by the weight of superincumbent soil. Directly above it, according to the position thus discovered, were the remains of the shield; a large bronze stud or disk, 2 inches in diameter, was still attached to the wood (see woodcut); another was quickly brought to light, and then appeared a beautifully ornamented silver stud, 11/2 inch in diameter, quite perfect, with part of a radiating point, still distinct (see woodcut); this also was found attached to a piece of wood by silver nails.

Bronze plate, (orig. size).

At the back of this piece of wood were two ornamental plates of bronze, and a cavity cut out on the surface of the wood, about an 1/2 inch in depth, with the head of an iron nail or fastening in the centre. These details are shown in the annexed representations. Beyond the bronze studs, on either side of them, we found four silver nails, showing that there had been silver ornaments both on the outside and the inside of the shield. (See woodcut). The bronze studs are ornamented with an interlaced pattern, and appear to have been gilt; some of them had central ornaments, either pearls, or green or amethystine glass. Some, also, of the thin pieces of bronze, with which, perhaps, the whole surface of the shield was strengthened, have a pattern on them. The longest piece of wood which I discovered was 10 inches in length. There are ten bronze studs, but only one circular plate of silver. This concluded my second day's work.

Fragments of ornamented bronze plates; with a silver nail. Original size.

October 15.—To-day I went alone to the barrow, and whilst moving some of the soil at the bottom of the trench I found numerous small pieces of silver ornaments, as at the last visit, but they were very much broken, and so fragile, that it was a matter of great difficulty to secure them at all. I also found a fragment of iron, apparently part of a horse's bit, some portions of horse's bones and teeth, and lastly, a few pieces of flat iron, the remains, I suppose, of a small weapon, which had, probably, been intentionally broken. These objects are represented in the accompanying woodcuts.

Iron fragments; supposed to be of a weapon, horse-shoe, and bridle-bit.

October 18.—To-day I found some more fragments of silver and copper, as also of iron, in small pieces, and a portion of a horse's shoe. Having worked for about 2 yards beyond the site of the discovery, which has been described, and found nothing more, I desired the workmen to fill up

Ornaments of thin silver plate, radiating from a central disk.
Size of the originals.

Wooden Shield. Bronze ornament on the inner side.
Half original size.

Fragment of a Wooden Shield, with an embossed ornament of thin silver plate.
Outer side. Half original size.

the trench, which was now at least 12 feet square, and from 6 to 8 feet deep.

In this barrow there were no stones,—nothing whatever to protect the remains of the defunct warrior. He must have been placed originally in a sitting position, his sword probably on the right side, the shield on his knees; where the remains of the horse, the bit, and shoes were placed I was enable to ascertain; but it is very likely that the enormous weight of earth, now 8 feet high, and which originally must have been nearer 16 feet, would, in settling, somewhat alter the relative position of the objects interred. The skeleton was deposited on the level surface of the field, and not in a cist; for what purpose the hole was made, which I have before described, I cannot imagine. All the pieces of wood are flat, and not convex; but I could find no pieces of wood or metal to enable me to form any conjecture as regards the shape or size of the shield, nor any part of the boss of the shield, if I except the small portion of silver rim here represented (orig. size). The silver plate was affixed to a separate piece of wood, let into the larger portion, and which eventually separated from it. The dimensions, however, must have been very large; the mere fragments found supplied evidence of five ornamented circles, two of them measuring 31/2 inches diameter, one 51/4 inches, and one 23/4 inches.

The investigation of the tumulus at Caenby has elicited certain facts, which appear of essential interest as regards the classification of ancient remains; and they present peculiar features, to which it is behoved nothing precisely analogous has been hitherto recorded, in the history of sepulchral antiquities in Great Britain. It is remarkable that in the extensive examination of British tumuli during recent years, no example appears to have been described, sufficiently characterised by distinctive peculiarities, to justify its being with confidence recognised as the tomb of a Dane. The long continuance of Danish influence in the British Islands, from the first appearance of those daring marauders in the times of Bertric, King of Wessex, A.D. 787,^[1] to the union of English and Danes under the sway of Canute, A.D. 1018, would lead us to expect numerous vestiges of their presence. This expectation would be justified by the consideration of the frequency and extent of their expeditions, their repeated sojourn during the winter in various parts of England where they had effected a lodgment, their actual subjugation of some districts, and more especially their colonisation in the reign of Alfred, A.D. 880, when nearly a third part of the realm, extending from the Thames to the Tweed, was ceded to them, under their leader Guthrun, converted to Christianity by Alfred's influence. To this district, thenceforth known as the Danelagh, or Dane-law, we naturally look most confidently with anticipation of discovering traces of their occupation, not only encampments, and relics casually deposited in the confusion of hostile encounter, but vestiges of peaceful habitation, of their peculiar usages, their sepulchral rites, their personal ornaments and weapons. It is important to call attention to these considerations, since hitherto no scientific discrimination of the antiquities of the period in question (from the eighth to the eleventh century) has been attempted, and certain remains have been designated as "Danish" merely on conjectural or traditional grounds, based on no comparison of the relics of the Northmen in other lands, nor any sufficient investigation of their distinctive character.

The first step towards more sound knowledge of this subject has been gained by the publication of the "Guide to Northern Archaeology," for which we are indebted to Lord Ellesmere, and of the valuable manual of the "Primeval Antiquities of Denmark," by Mr. Worsaae, recently translated by Mr. Thoms, of which a notice will be found in another part of this Journal.

It is more especially in the eastern districts of Yorkshire, and in Lincolnshire, so frequently the scene of conflict with the Danes, and ultimately occupied by numerous Danish colonists, that ancient remains peculiar to them may be expected. Much valuable information may be anticipated from recent investigations under the auspices of the "Yorkshire Antiquarian Club," guided by the zeal and intelligence of Dr. Thurnam and Professor Phillips. Many curious facts have likewise been adduced from Lincolnshire, amongst which the discovery at Caenby, now recorded, is perhaps the most interesting.

The remains, which have been described, obviously belong to the "Iron-period" of the classification adopted by the Northern antiquaries. Without entering into the subject of various modes of interment, previously and subsequent to the customary practice of cremation in the countries of the North, it may be said that it is stated to have been discontinued in Denmark from the times of their King, Dan Mikillati (the splendid), who caused a large tumulus to be formed, ordering that, when dead, his remains should there be interred with all his royal insignia and armour, his horse likewise, equipped with the customary ornaments, and a quantity (multis talentis) of gold and silver.^[2] And thus commenced the hojelse tijd, or age of barrow-interment, without cremation. It is remarkable that, as Mr. Worsaae observes, the majority of the tumuli of the "Iron-period," hitherto examined in Denmark, are distinguished by the circumstance that they contain, not only the remains of the warrior but those of his horse. He cites several instances in which, not only the bones of both have been disinterred, but the stirrups, bridle-bits, in one case described as a "chain-bit," in another as covered with thin silver plates; remarkable ornaments for harness have also been found: with these had been deposited the sword, spear, or axe, all of iron. A similar usage appears in the curious account given by Saxo Grammaticus of the obsequies of Harald; the royal charger was brought harnessed to the King's chariot, and equipped with golden trappings; the pile was fed with the gilded fragments of the royal galley; the arms, gold and precious objects heaped upon it, and finally the remains interred in royal manner with horse, arms, and paraphernalia.^[3]

The ancient practice of the Danes in this respect, and characterising the tumuli of a certain age, was not, it must be observed, peculiar to that people. It is not unimportant to trace its observance among the nations of the East, both in ancient and more recent times, in the obsequies of kings. Herodotus speaks of the custom amongst the Scythians, of burying with defunct kings both their horses, satellites, and precious objects.^[4] Tacitus distinctly records the observance of the same usage in the funeral rites of the ancient Germans,—"Sua cuique arma, quorundam igni et equus adjicitur." In the remarkable interment of the Carlovingian age, discovered at Tournai in 1653, and attributed to Childeric, who died A.D. 481, the bones of his horse, the remains of one of the iron horse-shoes, and the ornaments of the trappings, were discovered.^[5] Mr. Kemble, in his Appendix to "Beowulf," gives a curious note on the obsequies of the Teutonic hero, the throwing upon the pile, or into the mound, jewels, arms, and armour; the sacrifice of hawks, hounds, horses, and even human beings. The arms and chariots were supposed to be for use in a future world; and Mr. Kemble cites from an ancient chronicle, published by the society of antiquaries of Copenhagen, a curious passage descriptive of the death and funeral of Harald (to which allusion has above been made), the slaughter of the horse, and the placing of both chariot and saddle in the mound, "so that the hero may take his choice between riding or driving to Valhalla."^[6]

A few instances of the discovery of remains of the horse in British tumuli might be cited, and some antiquaries have supposed them to be merely vestiges of the funeral feast, the horse having been indubitably used for food in ancient times. Even in the Confessionale of Egbert, Archbishop of York (A.D. 735—766), its use is not forbidden. "Caro equina non est prohibita, etsi multi gentes earn comedere nolunt."^[7] The most interesting record of facts connected with this subject has been given by the Rev. Edward Stillingfleet, and is published in the transactions of the Institute at the York Meeting. In tumuli on the Yorkshire Wolds, at Arras, about three miles from Market Weighton, the remains of two warriors were found, with the iron tires and other portions of their chariot wheels, each of which had rested on a horse, also bronze and iron bridle-bits, bronze rings and buckles. The remains of a wooden shield appeared, which had been of unusually large dimensions; it had an iron rim, and numerous bronze bosses, one of them measuring 41/2 inches diameter. The chariot wheels were small, measuring 2 feet 8 inches diameter. The corpse had been placed resting on the shield, and interred without cremation.^[8] At Shefford, Mr. Inskip found the bones of a horse with burnt human remains, and objects of silver and iron. (Memoir by Sir H. Bryden, Trans. Camb. Antiq. Soc., vol. i.) It is hoped that these remarks may lead to the communication of analogous facts from other parts of the kingdom.

The strong probability that the tumulus excavated at Caenby, was that of one of the Danish Vikings, who made such frequent forays in that part of England, is corroborated by the fact of their army having passed a considerable time in that district. In A.D. 866 a large force came into East Anglia, and there wintered; they quickly, as the Chronicle states, "were horsed," and progressed northward; two years later they returned, and wintered at Nottingham; in subsequent seasons they over-ran Mercia and the eastern counties, making their winter quarters in 872 in London. In the following year the restless host again progressed towards the north, and they fixed their winter quarters that year at Torkesey, in Lincolnshire, not many miles distant from Caenby. It is obvious that the great line of Roman way, adjacent to which that village is situated, must repeatedly have been their route in traversing this county. There may therefore appear fair ground for the supposition, that some chieftain, who perished during those times, may have been interred, more patrio, in this mound; still more, that as the name Caenby is directly suggestive of a Danish etymon, the termination being usually recognised as indicative of a place of Danish settlement^[9], the remains discovered may be regarded as of the warrior-colonist, who there fixed his habitation in the times of Alfred.

The intricate interlacement of the curious ornaments found with these remains, if not exclusively characteristic of Danish workmanship, is perfectly in accordance with the objects of metal, of the "Iron-period," found in Scandinavia. We may cite the beautiful example of a sword-hilt of this age, given in Mr. Worsaae's work, and of which a representation may be seen in this Journal. (Notices of Publications, p. 104.) The like interlaced ornament appears on a curious plate of silver, found with numerous Cufic coins, as also Anglo-Saxon and German coins of the tenth century, at Falster.^[10] The singular combination of debased animal forms with interlacements, as on the silver roundel of the radiated ornament of the Caenby shield, is of frequent occurrence in Scandinavian ornaments, being the "Drachenzierathen" of the northern antiquaries. These types of decorative design, it must be observed, appertain to a widely extended class of monuments, sculptured stones, and other remains, of which a large number exist in Great Britain: and the common element of that design might probably be traced to an Asiatic, rather than a Roman origin.^[11]

It is much to be regretted that the shields of the "Iron-period" having been mostly of wood, sometimes, as Mr. Worsaae states, consisting of a frame covered with leather, and having an iron boss, no sufficient remains have been preserved to indicate their form and dimensions: the Danish shields were almost always painted, inlaid with gold or ornamented with figures in relief, occasionally distinctive symbols, the prototypes of heraldic charges. One of the kinds enumerated in the "Guide to Northern Archaeology" is the long buckler, of large dimensions, used for protection against arrows and javelins, or when scaling a rampart. The splendid shield of the Viking at Caenby must have been of this class, or probably a buckler of parade. It is unfortunately too much decayed to enable us to affirm that it is of the favourite material, of the period, the lime wood, as in Beowulf—"the shield, the yellow linden wood." A fragment of the bronze rim remains, once doubtless brightly burnished, in accordance with the description in the same poem of the "ample shield, yellow rimmed,"—"the very hard margins of the ample shields"—"the war rims, the bright shield wood." Some notion of the form of these defences of the larger sort may perhaps be gathered from the remarkable bronze coating of a shield, found in the river Witham, at Washingborough, near Lincoln, and deposited in the Goodrich Court Armory.^[12]

1. Saxon Chron., A.D. 707. "In his days came first three ships of the Northmen from the land of robbers.—These were the first ships of the Danish men that sought the land of the English nation." Ed. Ingram, p. 78.
2. Wormius, Danic. Monum., p. 52; Worsaae, p. 99. Wormius mentions the finding of a spur in a burial-place near Slesvic, with bronze swords and spear-heads.
3. Saxo Gramm., lib. 8. The same author speaks of a certain person whose attachment to a defunct friend was such, as to make him insist on being interred with the corpse, which was buried with the horse and dog of the deceased;—"quod cum cane et equo terreno mandabatur antro," lib. 5. He states, also, that Frotho prescribed to certain tribes which he had conquered, that every head of a family who fell in battle, should be buried with his horse and arms.
4. Herod, b. iv. 71. Baehr (in loco) states the discovery of horses' bones in tumuli in southern Russia. See Mr. Demidoff's remarkable account of barrows in Tartary, Archaeologia, vol. ii., p. 224.
5. Chifflet, Anastasis Childerici, p. 224.
6. Fornald, Sögur. i. 387, note in Beowulf, vol. ii., v. 6359.
7. Ancient Laws and Institutes, vol. ii. p. 163.
8. York Volume, Catalogue of Antiquities, p. 26. A bridle-bit of iron, buckle and umbo, were disinterred during the Canterbury meeting, in a tumulus in Lord Londesborough's Park. They are figured in Mr. Thoms' Notes on Mr. Worsaae's work, p. 52.
9. Bye, Danish, a town or borough. Wolff.
10. Annaler for Nordisk Oldkyndighed, 1842, tab. iii.
11. Remarkable examples of the interlaced design occur on ornaments found in tumuli in Kent, Douglas's Nenia, pl xxii. Archaeological Album, Anglo-Saxon Antiquities, pl iii. These patterns are, however, more frequent upon sculptured crosses, &c., especially in the northern counties.
12. Archaeologia, vol. xxiii., pl. xiii. p. 92. It measures about 3 ft. 6 in. by 16 in., and is of oblong form, with rounded angles.