The corpse had been placed resting on the shield, and interred without cremation.[1] 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[2], 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,
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Bye, Danish, a town or borough. Wolff.
