The proceedings commenced with an enquiry as to the monuments in Lorraine of Celtic origin, which elicited information of some Maenhirs, and of a Dolmen called the "Gottstein," near Sarrbruck; and likewise of an extensive fort or camp called the "Ring"—although supposed to be Hunnish—and situate on the Dolberg, one of the Hunsruck chain of hills near Berncastel, and remarkable for having its vallum faced with masonry.
The victory of Jovin over the Germans, and his previous stratagetical movements, were ingeniously shewn to have occurred near Scarpone, a village on the Moselle, about half-way between Metz and Nancy.
The notices of Roman remains lately discovered were so numerous that M. de Caumont, the Director, requested the Local Committee to cause them to be mapped for publication by the Society; and urged especial attention to the lines of aqueducts. He also suggested that a plan of Roman Metz might be drawn up from the Roman buildings still, or lately there, in situ; to which M. Reichensperger proposed the addition of a statement as to whether they are of indigenous or foreign material—he having found the Roman monuments at Treves to be of forty different kinds of marble, and of which some are even African. The Director also asked for a list of Roman sculptured and inscribed stones in Lorraine, together with a map of its dioceses and towns during the Merovingian and Carlovingian dynasties, which caused a remark by M. Robert, of Metz, upon the aid derivable from numismatic research in the determination of doubtful localities.
In discussing the form and construction of houses of Roman slaves and the inferior class of Roman freedmen, it was argued, from the paucity of stones and bricks, and the multiplicity of nails found on their supposed sites, that such houses were low, and chiefly of wood, or of lath and plaster.
With reference to the eleventh question of the Programme, an illustrated notice, presented, through Dr. Bromet, by Mr. Charles Tucker, on certain objects of Greco-Egyptian character lately found at Colchester, was—in compliment to them as members of the British Archæological Institute—read by the President himself.
The Director then enquired as to the monuments of Romanesque style in Lorraine; and this produced a memoir and some viva voce information, whence it appeared that they are all nearly similar to those in the south of France, except a church at Rosheim, the architectural details of which were probably copied from a church at Ancona, in Italy.
The Pointed style in Lorraine, it was stated, has comparatively but little ornament or statuary—the cathedral of Metz, although of the 14th century, being referred to as an example of this simplicity, as well as several mansions there of the 15th and 16th centuries. It was also stated that many churches have not their altar ends towards the east.
The Director then asked for a list of Lorraine churches of known dates.
Upon the question relative to the employment of geometrical proportion in mediæval buildings, the Society was informed that in an Essay published by the Archæological Institute on the buildings of William of Wykeham, this subject had been treated on by Professor Cockerell of the Royal Academy of London.
