Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/472

40S PKOCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF ifloiuljln Eonl3on {HccttngsS. XoVEMUKH Old, IS.ji. James Yates, Esq., F.R.S., in tlic Chair. The Rev. II. M. ScAUTFT communicatctl a more detailed account of dis- coveries of Roman interments on Combe Down near Bath, noticed at a previous meeting.' lie sent also drawings representing the stone cisls, one of which contained the skull of a horse, and a number of stone coffins brought to light in September 18/52, at the top of Russell-street, Bath. Mr. Scarth alluded to the frequent discovery of such coffins at Bath and iu the neighbourhood, all of tlicui marked by a certain uniformity of appear- ance. Attention had been drawn to the subject shortly before the meeting of the Somerset Arcluijological Society at Bath, in 1852, through the excavations for constructing a sewer in Russell-street, when the discovery above-mentioned took j)lace. Six stone coffins were found, placed in pairs, from two feet to three feet apart, the heads to the north-east, and a seventh was discovered placed singly in the same line ; near the foot of this last was the lower stone of a quern. In one of these coffins were the remains of a female and of an infant, with portions of the bones of two small animals and some jiins of metal much corroded. Near it lay a coin of Constantine, broken IloMian pottery and green glass of beautiful manufacture, and bones of graminivonius animals. In another, of smaller size, were the remains of two young children. In another coffin, containing a skeleton of large stature, was a small oUa or urn of dark coloured ware, of ordinary forni,'- placed on the right side near the ribs. Tiiis urn is now in the Museum of the Bath Institution. The coffins are rudely shaped out of blocks of stone, the heads usually rounded, the width considerably greater at the head than at the foot, and with one exception they had lids of stone fitted to them. A skeleton was found deposited in the soil near one of the coffins. Mr. Scarth described numerous stone cists of the same kind found in Bath at various times, in several instances with Roman reliqucs and coins, and ho noticed the singular circumstance that one or more skeletons arc generally found dejtosited in the earth near the coffins. On one occasion a number of iron nails, resembling those with which the Roman caVitjic were thickly shod, were found near the feet of the skeleton. He gave a further accoiHit of numerous dist-overics of cists or coOius at Weston, near l^ath, as related by the vicar of that parish, the Rev. .1. Houd. On one occasion not less than twelve were disinterred at one spot. The covers lay about a foot beneath the surface, sometimes the head was placed towards the east, but they had been deposited iniliscriminatcly, in all directions. Stono coffins hail also been found at I'^nglish (/'onihe, near iJath, where vestiges of the Wansdyke are distinctly traced, at ilitton, probably the Roman Ahoua, also near tin; siti; of a Roman villa at riangridgc, and in the ]»arish of Bath- wick, <kc. The remarkable recent discovery at Combe ])own occurred in building a wall near the church, the spot being on the declivity td' a hill, ' .s<-i- |i. JmI, III iliis Viilumc. ill'- urn r('|iresciii(il in iIiIh .Jduninl, vdl. • IlH gcncnil form roMfiiilil'-H tint of vi.|). in, iil foot of tlic jilaU'.