Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/191

PRE-niSTORIC ARCIIiEOLOGY OF EAST DEVON. 157 presents an appearance similar to that of the wheat and other grain that occurs abundantly on the sites of Pfahlbauten in the hikes of Switzerland, described by Dr. Keller, and without doubt found its way into the barrow at the early period when the mound was heaped up. At the same time also we noticed in the rubbish a very small bead or disc of shale, which induced us to sift through this mass again with the most scrupulous care, when we were rewarded by the discovery of some fifty beads similar to that first observed. They consist of thin lamince of shale, about three hues in diameter, and are perforated for the purpose of being strung together like a modern string of beads so as to form a neck- lace (fig. 2). There also occurred one larger cylindrical or bugle-shaped bead formed of red clay, one line in length and two lines in diameter, which was probably placed so as to be a central decoration to the necklace (fig. 2,a); three beads of shale, of about the same size as the bead of red clay already mentioned, were also obtained. They are cylindrical in form, and ornamented with punctured incised chevrony patterns superficially drilled in the shade (fig. 2, c,c,f). With these beads of shale was found a portion of the stalk of an encrinite, which had probably been strung with the beads, and formed a portion of the same ornament (fig. 2, L). Interesting examples of necklaces and other ornaments similar in character to that here described have been dis- covered in the excavation of some of the Derbyshire bar- rows.^ It is probable that in these beads we detect the evidence of the first use of the turning-lathe, and the jrerm of its application to a great variety of uses. I am aware that the introduction of the lathe has been referred to Homan influence ; but whilst w^orks of the Anglo-Roman period executed in shale, and with obvious traces of the influence of Roman art, are abundant in the South of England, orna- ments of this material occur also among the contents of Scotch barrows, lying beyond the pale of Roman civilisation, and where no tmces of their occupation have been found. Where we meet with such ornaments, characterised by the same simplicity of design and workmanship as that of the pottery and bronze that are associated with them in tho ' Ritcman's Ton Years' Digi,'ings, pp. their Contents, by Llewellyn Jcwitt, 25 and 47. See also Grave-Mounds and pp. l'23-5.