The Jutish Cemetery at Lyminge

rrfrawtogta d^antinna THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE By ALAN WARHURST, B.A., A.M.A. INTRODUCTION IN December, 1953, the writer, as archaeological assistant at the Maidstone Museum, was called upon to investigate two inhumation burials at Lyminge, near Folkestone, Kent.1 The discovery was first brought to the notice of the Museum by Mrs. E. Norris, wife of a workman of Messrs. Atcos, Ltd., farming contractors, Paddock Wood, Kent. Employees of this firm, who were erecting a prefabricated mushroom shed, had struck bones and metal, including an iron spearhead of Saxon date, in the foundation holes for two of the corner posts. On inspection of the site, it seemed probable that the graves struck by the workmen were only two of many. Despite inclement weather conditions, the emergency excavation of the area, 30 ft. x 18 ft., which was due to be concreted to form the floor of the shed, was carried out.2 Eight inhumation graves (Fig. 1, nos. 1-8) were discovered and excavated. The finds from this emergency excavation indicated that the site was that of a Jutish cemetery of the sixth century A.D. Their encouraging nature and the importance of Lyminge in Saxon times (see page 38) led the Kent Archaeological Society to promote the further excavation of the site. This was carried out under the direction of the writer during August, 1954, and 36 inhumation graves were discovered, making a total of 44. There is no indication that these excavations have reached the limits of the cemetery, nor have aerial photographs shed light on its extent. Only future excavation will determine its size. 1 The site (National Grid Reference TR/1638.4169; Kent 6 in. O.S. Sheet LXVI S.E.) lies in the south west corner of field 251 h, Kent 25 in. O.S. Sheet LXVI 11 revision of 1939. This field is owned by Mr. Arthur Hall and adjoins the back garden of his residence, " Riversdale ", Canterbury Road, Lymmge (see Figs. 1 and 2). The field is bounded on its north west side by the back gardens of a number of residences which front onto the Canterbury Road; the Elham- Lyminge parish boundary runs along the north east side of the field. 2 The area immediately to the north east of the mushroom shed (Fig. 1) was concreted before the first discovPT-l'«a were made. The remainder of the field is arable land. 1 4A THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The 1953 and 1954 excavations owe much of their success to the landowner, Mr. Arthur Hall. The Kent Archaeological Society is indebted to Mr. Hall for permission to excavate (involving the sacrifice of some 400 square yards of wheat) and for the donation of the finds to the Collections of the Society at the Maidstone Museum. In addition Mr. Hall did much of the actual digging in the emergency excavation and in both the winter and the summer work he and Mrs. Hall provided the excavators with every facility which they could muster. Messrs. G. and P. G. Godden performed most of the heavy spade work. Misses C. M. Curry, J. A. de Valon, A. Evans, Mrs. A. Warhurst and Messrs. R. Clayson, R. Cope, E. Eyres, M. Macey, L. Reynolds, P. J. Tester and B. de Stoop proved the nucleus of a willing and capable excavation team, to the work of which many others contributed. Surveying (in addition to much of the heavy work) was undertaken by Messrs. A. Clarke, N. V. Quinnell, W. S. Thurlowe and W. C. Woodhouse. The site plan (Fig. 1) was prepared by Mr. Clarke and drawn by Mr. A. T. Chester of the Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. Fig. 2 was prepared by Mr. E. W. Smith. Most of the line drawings have been done by my wife who, throughout the excavations and preparation of the report has been a source of constant help and encouragement. The examination of the skeletal material has been undertaken by Dr. J. Joseph, M.R.C.O.G., Reader in Anatomy at Guy's Hospital Medical School and the remarks on the skeletons in the grave inventory are based upon his reports. Other acknowledgments for help on technical matters are made in the text. The excavations were financed by the Kent Archaeological Society and the Society of Antiquaries. Thanks are also due to the many anonymous donors who contributed to our collecting box; to Messrs. Haynes Bros., Ltd., of Maidstone, and the Aylesford Paper Mills Company for donations in kind; to Messrs. Corbens, Ltd., of Maidstone, Mr. C. H. Maggs of Lyminge, Maidstone Corporation and the Kent County Council for the loan of tools and equipment; and to the Elham Rural District Council and the Kent County Constabulary1 for various security and administrative arrangements. THE SITE That part of the cemetery which has been excavated lies on the highest point (365 ft. above O.D.) of a chalk spur which intrudes north eastwards into the bowl at the head of the Elham Valley. This spur 1 Thanks are due particularly to B.C. Wellington Boot, of Elham, who by his interest and enthusiasm facilitated the smooth running of the excavation and the establishment of good relations with the public. 2 GARDEN OF RIVERSDALE AREA CONCRETED BEEORE FIRST DISCOVERY MUSHROOM SHED ?,M44 28 @* WZ-a- Pottery THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE SITE PLAN 1954 Feet 10 Metres a * s 2 1 0 SCALE 20 30 40 6 w 60 Feet is Metres FIG. 1. [face p. 3 1000 FEtT I0O0 §5582^ b^mut^ SCALE SIX INCHES TO ONE MILE 340-I "Sibton ParTt « •SITEOFJUTIS CEMETERY 1954 Tantru .CntSSSki"eM6 feasant SO&r North •gSAZymnge /5 if Kim bene Terrace*. SITE Of is«WW>Dal UTISH FINDS 1885 sj^Ap. JWBj St.iBnro'8 Jtawtji'-x. v fl* 355-/6 78-7/ ,..:-,\\Ea>torook [By permission of the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office, Crown Copyright reserved FIG. 2. Situations of the Jutish cemeteries at Lyminge. THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE divides Sibton Park from North Lyminge, and along it runs the road from Ottinge to the south west through Yewtree Cross. The road from Lyminge to Rhodes Minnis through Sibton Park traverses the ridge at Yewtree Cross. Prom the site (PI. I) the ground slopes gently away on all sides—eastwards into the Elham Valley which accommodates the Nailbourne some 400 yards away; westwards into the grounds of Sibton Park and southwards into the village of Lyminge itself; to the north-east the ground slopes less perceptibly towards Ottinge. The eminence on which the site lies is not apparent from the 100-foot contours of the 6 in. O.S. map. Higher chalkland lies less than a mile to the east and west and a little further away to the south. Coal borings in the neighbourhood show that in this area there is an appreciable dip of the strata in a north to north east direction. At Ottinge the base of the gault was proved at +125 O.D. whilst at Elham, a distance of 1| miles north to north east, it had fallen to —15 O.D. The probable depth of the gault on the cemetery site then is about +150 O.D. The surface level of the site is +350 O.D. and is, therefore, presumably, in the zone of Holaster subglobosus. Springs break out at the head of the Elham Valley at New Barn (161.398), Lymmge Church (162.408), Eastbrook Lodge (165.407) and Sibton Park (159.416).1 On the cemetery site the chalk is overlain by a deposit, possibly of alluvial drift, of chalk lumps and loam. Disturbances in this subsoil are not easy to recognize. The topsoil is between 8 and 12 in. deep. Iron pyrites nodules occur profusely in the subsoil and their occurrence in grave fill must therefore be of doubtful significance in the absence of any direct evidence for their use. METHOD OF EXCAVATION Differing techniques were adopted in the emergency and in the planned excavations. In the former, in order to conserve time and labour, the topsoil was dug with trenches 2 ft. wide at intervals of 3 ft., at right angles to the expected alignment of the graves (approximately east—west). The acquaintance gained with the subsoil during this work suggested that with more time and labour available it would be better to clear off the topsoil completely from the area to be investigated. In the summer this was done in squares, 20 ft. by 20 ft., and the grid was laid down at 45° to the grave alignment (Pis. Ha and 116). Due to the nature of the subsoil graves were not always so easy to locate as might be expected on chalkland. Nevertheless the excavation of a grave was only started when its complete outline had been traced 1 For information on the geology and springs of the area I am indebted to Mr. H. B. Reynolds, of the Folkestone Waterworks Company, 4 SITE " i.»''--w i-at^wait-'.g- ; ^ p rimwmm FIG. 4. OBJECTS OF IRON (£). 1. Purse-mount, grave 22 ; 2. Purse-mount, grave 30 ; 3. Spearhead grave 6 ; 4. Coffin plate and nails, grave 44 ; • 5. Shield boss, grav 31 ; 6. Axe-head, grave 7 ; 7. Spearhead, grave 31 ; 8. Shield gri{ grave 31 ; 9 and 9a. Shield-plate and bronze washer, grave 31. An iron knife at the right arm. A small bronze ring by the left leg. A fragmentary iron buckle at the waist. GRAVE 7. Sex and age of the skeleton unknown; only one bone, part of a leg bone, was found in this grave, and the position of the finds in relation to the body can, therefore, only be estimated; 107°, 2 ft. 1 in. deep. Finds. An iron knife at the left waist. 10 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE A small bronze buckle (Fig. 8, No. 3) at the left waist. An iron axe-head (Fig. 4, No. 6) found standing vertically, blade downwards, at the right arm. GRAVE 8. A man; 5 ft. 9 in.; 45-50 years of age; this skeleton had been disturbed at an unknown date above the knees and the bones above this point were found in confusion in the backfill; the left leg was crossed over the right at the ankle; 91°, 2 ft. 0 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 9. A woman; over 60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis, head pillowed; 79°, 1 ft. 9 in. deep. Finds. A silver plated bronze buckle (Fig. 8, No. 2) with two small bronze rivets, £ in. long, which fastened the end of the belt after it had passed round the stem of the buckle. The tongue of the buckle, which pointed right, was hinged by a eurved projection from its base.1 GRAVE 10. A woman; over 60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis; 81°, 1 ft. 8 in. deep. Finds. A flat penannular brooch (Fig. 7) at the right shoulder. The ends of the brooch were doubled back to house the point of the iron pin, now missing, which was hinged through a small hole at the opposite side. The scheme of decoration'indicates that the two folds were of equal size originally, but one of them was broken off by constant use and the break subsequently worn smooth and later patinated. The brooch was, therefore, old when buried. The hinge-hole could only have accommodated a thin pin which could not have supported a heavy weight of material. The decoration was traced and punched with a sure and firm hand. The scheme includes two " bearded " beaks with eyes and two horselike creatures, nose to the ground. The zones of decoration are separated by panels of hatching and cross-hatching. There is an inner and outer border of a double band of tiny gouge marks with a peripheral band of triangular gouge marks. The larger folded end of the brooch is traced with a boldly executed animal head and the incomplete one shows clearly the hatched collar of a similar head now missing. The decoration on the larger fold had been obscured by iron corrosion of the pin and could only be determined after this part of the brooch had been subjected to local electrolytic cleaning. The rich green patination of the bronze combines with the Uvehness and quality of the decoration to make this brooch one of the loveliest objects from the Lyminge cemetery. 1 A fragment of the plating was submitted to the Kent County Analyst for analysis and the following figures were supplied: Silver 90-2% Copper 4-8% Tin 1-5% with traces of lead, iron, nickel and gold. 11 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE An applied saucer brooch of bronze (Fig. 6, No. 5) at the left shoulder. The decorated plate of the brooch is in a very fragmentary condition due to the swelling of the paste by which it was mounted to its base. The base and plate were enclosed by a ring of bronze strip, the ends of which were joined by a small rivet. The iron pin has decayed but the catch-plate and hinge-plate remain. GRAVE 11. A woman; 5 ft. 2 in.; 30 years of age; skeleton in an excellent state of preservation; supine, full length, both arms across the pelvis, feet crossed, head pillowed; 87°, 2 ft. 4 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 12. A well-built man; 5 ft. 11 in.; 45 years of age; skeleton well-preserved; supine, full length, arms straight; 82°, 1 ft. 7 in. deep. Finds. A bronze buckle and attachment-plate (Fig. 8, No. 5) at the right waist, tongue pointing right. »The tongue which was hinged by a curved projection from its base has a slightly developed square shield. The buckle and tongue are decorated with tiny punched circles. The end of the belt, after passing around the stem of the buckle, was clamped between the attachment-plate and two flat brackets, J in. wide, held in position by rivets, allowing a clearance of -jL. in. between brackets and the back of the attachment-plate. That bracket nearest the buckle was, however, bent to accommodate the double thickness of the belt after it had passed round the stem of the buckle. Two rectangular belt-plates of bronze (Fig. 8, Nos. 6a and b) at the right and left waist were each fastened to the belt by 4 rivets with bronze washers, -jfo in. in diameter. They also allowed a clearance of ^ in. for the belt. The attachment-plate and two belt-plates are decorated around their edges with a series of punched concentric double semi-circles. An iron knife with two small worked flints (Fig. 10, Nos. 1 and 2) at the right arm. A small bronze buckle and attachment-plate (Fig. 8, No. 4) at the pelvis, tongue pointing towards the feet. GRAVE 13. A woman; 20 years of age; supine, full length, right arm across the pelvis; skull very collapsed; 83°, 2 ft. 3 in. deep. Finds. A cylindrical glass bottle (PI. VI, No. 1) standing vertically at the right hand side of the skull (PL Ilia). It was recovered complete and undamaged. The vessel stands 6£ in. high with a maximum diameter of 2 | in. and the capacity of the bottle, when full to the brim, is 11J fluid ounces. The glass is clear in colour and shows a pronounced swirl with many air bubbles in the fabric. The shoulder and neck of the bottle must once have been decorated with a spiral of glass trail (at an interval of £ in.) which is now missing, but which has left its mark on the surface of the glass. When found the bottle was about three quarters full of liquid with a sediment at the bottom. The liquid and sediment were submitted to 12 PLATE III (a) Grave 13 : the glass bottle " in situ". * (b) Grave 24 : the contracted burial of a young child. [face p. 12 Plate IV (a) Grave 31 : the shield boss. (fc) Grave 31 : The bronze bound (?) pouch. THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE the Kent County Analyst but the analysis shed no light on the original contents of the bottle. The vessel had no stopper when found and analysis of patination scrapings from around the inside of the neck showed no positive result. A riveted bronze plate with back-plate (Fig. 5, No. 1), -jfe in. apart, at the right elbow. The plate is decorated along its edges with a series of concentric semi-circles and was presumably the tag.end of the belt. A fragmentary iron buckle at the waist. GRAVE 14. A woman; 35-40 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, head pillowed; 98°, 2 ft. 6 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 15. A man; 5 ft. 8 in.; 55 years of age; the skeleton lay on its left side and the legs were contracted slightly, with the right leg crossed over the left at the knee; right arm across the pelvis; 68°, 2 ft. 0 in. deep. Finds. A small and fragmentary iron buckle (Fig. 9, No. 1) at the left waist, tongue pointing left. A large number of pottery fragments were found at the side of this grave but it has not been possible to reconstruct the shape of a pot from them. GRAVE 16. Neither skeleton nor teeth could be found in this grave. The disposition of the finds, however, indicated that the burial had not been disturbed. A large sample of the grave fill was submitted to the Kent County Analyst together with samples of the undisturbed natural soil and of grave fill from a grave known to have contained a skeleton. These were tested for the presence of calcium phosphate. The result1 of this test suggests that for some unknown reason the skeleton and teeth, if there were any, had completely decayed; 102°, 1 ft. 2 in. deep; the grave was shallow and for a considerable area around the grave there was a spread of chalk lumps in the topsoil and above the natural soil; the grave was comparatively isolated; this evidence, together with the impressiveness of the grave furniture, suggests that the grave had once been dignified by a mound of chalk lumps which were subsequently scattered. If such a mound existed it did not have a ditch. The position of the finds in the grave is given below as if the skeleton had been present. Finds. An iron knife at the waist. An isolated amber bead (Fig. 10, No. 6) on the chest. 1 These are the figures for the phosphate test oarried out on the fill of grave 1& by Mr. H. E. Monk and Mr. R. E. Spalding, of the Kent County Council Analyst's Department: Calcium Phosphate (Ca3PO,,) per cent Grave 16 1-60 Grave 24 .. .. .. 0-33 Natural subsoil .. .. 0-21 13 i I o 1'H:;;H t-t H I-I l INCH d FIG. 5. OBJECTS OF BRONZE. 1. Riveted plate, grave 13 ; 2. Bodkin, grave 35 ; 3. Bodkin, grave 5 ; 4. Bodkin, grave 1 ; 5. Bronze (?) Box fittings, grave 5 ; 6. Jewelled stud, grave 3 ; 7a and b. Fragments, grave 3. 14 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE A bronze bangle with decorated terminals (Fig. 10, No. 7) at the right foot. A silver expanding ring (Fig. 10, No. 5) at the left foot. Diameter f i n. A silver-plated bronze buckle (Fig. 9, No. 3) at the right waist. The tongue is missing but pointed right. A bronze radiate-headed brooch (PL VIII, No. 5) at the waist, head towards the left. The brooch is decorated in chip-carving technique, with ring and dot decoration across the bow and on each lug on either side of the lozenge-shaped foot-plate. The radiating heads are set with garnet, roughly chipped to shape. The brooch has a bronze pin which is well-preserved. A bronze-gilt button brooch (PI. Vila, No. 2) at the chest. The brooch had an iron pin, now decayed, and presumably supported at least one of probably three festoons of beads over the chest. The beads, 105 in all, are of blue, green and clear glass and of amber. Many of the tiny spherical ones of glass were fused together in the process of manufacture (cf. the beads from grave 39, PI. VII6, No. 2); some are cylindrical; others, including the amber ones are of no diagnosable shape. A gold bracteate (PI. Vila, No. 1) was worn probably as the centrepiece to one of these strings of beads. It belongs to Montehus Group D. The stamped plate is enclosed .within a beaded frame and the suspension loop is ribbed.1 GRAVE 17. Probably a woman; 5 ft. 4 in.; 40-45 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, left leg crossed over the right at the ankle; 84°, 2 ft. 6 in. deep. Finds. A bronze-gilt buckle and kidney-shaped attachment-plate (PI. X, No. 2) at the right waist, tongue pointing right. The leather belt was joined to the buckle (Fig. 9, No. 2) by being clamped between the ends of a bronze plate which passed around the stem of the buckle. The two fastening rivets show a clearance of -fa in. to accommodate the single thickness of leather. The attachment-plate, which in this case merely covered up the junction of belt and buckle, consists of a bronze casing, \ in. deep, with a thin bronze back-plate. Three rivets travel from the surface of the plate to -^ in. beyond the back-plate to fasten the attachment-plate to the belt. The attachment-plate is divided into cells which were set with thin slices of coloured glass. Six of these inlays are missing. The four remaining keystone-shaped ones are of red glass and the elHptical-shaped inlays are of green glass. The glass slices are chipped to shape on their curved edges and cut on their 1 The bracteate is stamped with the same pattern as two from Bifrons, graves 29 and 64. See E. T. Leeds, " Denmark and Early England ", Antiquaries Journal, Vol. XXVI, p. 22 and PI. VIII. 15 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE straight edges. They are underlain by a layer of gold foil bearing a decoration of ring and dot within squares of chequer pattern. The attachment-plate was in poor condition when found and to facilitate cleaning, the cells were stripped down and the inlays re-set. GRAVE 18. A woman; 5 ft. 1 in.; 55-60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis, head pillowed; 38°, 1 ft. 2 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 19. A woman; 5 ft. 1 in.; 30-35 years of age; supine, full length, right arm across the pelvis; knees and ankles bunched (as if tied) together; 64°, 1 ft. 2 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 20. A man; 40-45 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis, right arm over left; 30°, 2 ft. 0 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 21. A man; 5 ft. 9 in.; 45-50 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis; knees and ankles bunched together as in grave 19; 91°, 2 ft. 0 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 22. A man; 5 ft. 9 in.; 35-40 years of age; supine, full length, left arm over right of pelvis, right arm over left wrist; 82°, 1 ft. 11 in. deep. Finds. A silver buckle and shield-shaped attachment and counterplates (PI. IX, No. 2) at the right waist, tongue pointing right. The belt was joined to the buckle by being clamped between the ends of two bronze strips bent round the stem of the buckle on either side of the hinge of the tongue. The two basal positioned rivets through the attachment-plate served to fasten the ends of these strips to the back of the plate and to fix the leather- in position. The counter-plate was fixed to the belt by three rivets, one of which has its fastening washer (I in. in diameter) in position at the back. The two basal positioned rivets have a joint washer in the form of a flat bracket, J in. wide and -J- in. long. The length of the rivets shows a clearance for the belt of $ in. The attachment-plate is decorated around its edges with a double row of " V "s and the counter-plate with a row of concentric double semi-circles. A pair of bronze tweezers (Fig. 6, No. 3), an iron knife and a single amber bead at the left waist. An iron purse-mount (Fig. 4, No. 1) at the left waist. The purse-mount has a small iron buckle attached to it, probably by rivets. GRAVE 23. A man; 5 ft. 10 in.; 60 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, head pillowed"; 72°, 1 ft. 6 in. deep. Finds. A bronze buckle (Fig. 9, No. 4) and a rectangular iron attachment-plate ( 1 | in. by 1-| in.) at the right waist, tongue pointing left. The belt was joined to the buckle by being clamped and riveted 16 PLATE V Grave 44 : the grave fully excavated showing the shape of the coffin and grave furniture. PLATE VI (1) The Lyminge bottle, grave 13 ; (2) The Bifrons bottle. I face //• 10 PLATE VII fi ^3& mm, I o INCHES (n) 1. Gold bracteate, grave 16 ; 2. Gilded bronze button brooch, grave 16. •***< »'- 0 INCHES I B S rH r ^ F^ (6) 1. Beads, grave 24 ; 2. Beads, grave 39. THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE §& 3Ms***=qOte f I t1lllt=^^ •H\AI,w±^\\ti I o I INCH FIG. 6. OBJECTS OP BRONZE. 1. Inlaid brooch, grave 31 ; 2. Annular brooch, grave 25 ; 3. Tweezers, grave 22 ; 4. Tweezers, grave 1 ; 5. Applied saucer brooch, grave 10 ; 6. Plate brooch, grave 25. 17 5& THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE with iron rivets between the ends of two bronze strips doubled round the stem of the buckle on either side of the tongue. The ends of these bronze strips show a clearance of | in. to accommodate the belt. The tongue of the buckle has a slightly developed shield, of rectangular shape, and is hinged by a curved projection from its base. This curved projection is notched in two places (end view shown in the drawing), which are spaced to accommodate the edges of the doubled bronze attaching strips, thereby restricting the movement of the tongue. These edges show wear at the points of contact within the notches. A rectangular iron belt-plate (the same size as the attachment-plate) was found at the left waist. No decoration has so far been found on either of the two belt-plates but it seems unlikely that the fine bronze buckle was accompanied merely by plain iron accessories. At the time of publication it has not been possible to X-ray photograph these two objects. GRAVE 24. A child, sex unknown; 5 years of age; the skeleton was in poor condition; the body had been buried on the right hand side with the legs contracted; a correspondingly small grave, 4 ft. 0 in. by 1 ft. 9 in.; 54°, 1 ft. 3 in. deep (PI. H I (6)). Finds. In the top corner of the grave to the left of the skull, a wheel-turned pot (Fig. 12, No. 1) of hard sandy fabric, varying in colour from dark grey to, occasionally, buff. The decoration consists of two double girth lines and a series of slashes, vertical and angled to the lower of these two lines. The series of these slashes runs as follows: 5 angled, 7 vertical; 5 angled, 7 vertical; 5 angled, 7 vertical; 3 angled and 3 vertical. The last anomalies were necessary to ensure the alternation of the pattern. Two bronze equal-armed brooches (PI. VIII, Nos. 4A and B), one at either shoulder. The pins were of iron, now corroded, but the hinge and catch-plates of bronze still remain. The decoration is in chipcarving technique and consists of two lozenge-shaped panels each of which is flanked on either side by a highly stylized head, body and fore-legs. Each end of both brooches is surmounted by a small loop in the form of a hooked beak with eye. A string of 16 beads around the neck. Fourteen of these are tiny beads of blue and green glass, | in. in diameter; one of a similar size is of bone and the remaining one a larger green glass bead, \ in. in diameter. A string of 7 beads (PI. VII6, No. 1) on the chest. Numbering from left to right, Nos. 1 and 7 are of red vitreous baked clay; Nos. 2 (missing in the photograph) and 6 of blue glass; No. 3 of green glass inlaid with red vitreous baked clay. Some fragments of iron, possibly keys, at the left waist. GRAVE 25. A woman; 5 ft. 3 in.; 30 years of age. supine, full 18 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE length, left hand over left thigh; skeleton in good condition; 101° 1 ft. 10 in. deep. Finds. A bronze annular brooch (Fig. 6, No. 2) at the left shoulder. The brooch has ribbed decoration. / /• /P / 6 » rs , - - r v \&\ \ \ \ s 0 INCH PIG. 7. Bronze penannular brooch, grave 10. A bronze plate brooch (Fig. 6, No. 6) with coiled bronze spring and pin at the right shoulder. The catch-plate and spring fastening rivets are visible on the surface of the brooch, but there is no indication of what may have covered the surface originally. GRAVE 26. A young person, sex unknown; 15 years of age; supine, 19 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE full length, right arm across the pelvis, left arm across the right; 88°, 1 ft. 4 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 27. A child, probably a girl; 2-6 years of age; skeleton in poor condition; supine, full length, arms straight; a small grave 4 ft. 0 in. by 2 ft. 1 in.; 101°, 2 ft. 3 in. deep. Finds. A bronze wire bracelet (Fig. 10, No. 4) around the left forearm. An iron knife at the right shoulder. A bronze purse-mount whose surface is cloisonne" set with coloured glass (PI. X, No. 3), found lying underneath the knife the inlay facing downwards. The iron corrosion from the knife has seriously affected the condition of the purse-mount. The glass inlays are crudely chipped to shape but some attempt has been made to achieve a rudimentary step pattern in many of the ceUs (cf. the more accomplished cell-work of the inlay across the large square-headed brooches from grave 44). Only two colours of glass are used, pale and dark green. There is no gold foil below the settings. A fragmentary iron buckle was found a few inches away from the purse-mount but must belong to it. It is tempting to see in the iron protrusion on the right hand side of the mount the beginning of an iron frame. A string of 9 tiny beads around the neck; 6 of these are of amber; one is of green glass; one is of yellow vitreous baked clay; and one is a perforated upper right temporary canine tooth. GRAVE 28. A woman; 5 ft. 2 in.; 50-55 years of age; the skeleton had been disturbed between the pelvis and the skull at an unknown date; supine, full length, 100°, 2 ft. 6 in. deep. Finds. An iron knife in the disturbed back-fill. A bronze Roman coin of Constantine I beneath the left leg.1 GRAVE 29. A woman; 5 ft. 5 in.; 55-60 years of age; supine, full length, left arm across the pelvis; 97°, 1 ft. 6 in. deep. Finds. An iron knife at the left arm. An iron buckle and rectangular iron attachment-plate (PI. IX, No. 4) at the right waist, tongue pointing right. The tongue of the buckle is inlaid with bronze strip, -fa in. wide, at intervals of about the same width. It has not been possible to X-ray photograph the buckle and its attachment-plate but further inlaid decoration must be regarded as probable. GRAVE 30. A man; 5 ft. 10 in.; 20 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, head pillowed; 90°, 2 ft. 4 in. deep. 1 Mr. C. M. Kraay, of the Herberden Coin Room at the Ashmolean Museum has supplied the following reading: Obv. Head to right, laureate. CONSTANTINUS AVG Rev. Camp gate with two turrets and a star between. PROVIDENTIAE AVGG I (mint of Trier) ME 20 PLATE VIII l^^Ni 4A 4B I INCH I H H I H FTT4- 1. Gilded bronze saucer brooch, grave 39 ; 2. Gilded bronze square-headed brooch, grave 39 ; 3. Gilded bronze " S " shaped brooch, grave 33 ; 4 A and B. A pair of bronze equal-armed brooches, grave 24 ; 5. Bronze brooch with garnet set radiate head, grave 16. [ fact p . 20 PLATE IX I O I H M U FTT=h 2 INCHES 1. Buckle and attachment plate, grave 1 ; 2. Buckle and attachment plate, grave 22 ; 3. Buckle and attachment plate, grave 32 ; 4. Buckle and attachment plate, grave 29. PLATE X sc- 1. Buckle and cloisonne-set attachment plate, grave 36 ; 2. Buckle and eloi sonne-set attachment plate, grave 17 ; 3. Cloisonne-set purse-mount, grave 27. THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE b I o | 1-4 L-| L-l L-J t-l ~ I INCH d Eio. 8. BUCKLES. 1. Grave 3 ; 2. Grave 9 ; 3. Grave 7 ; 4, 5, 6a and b. Grave 12. 21 5B THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Finds. An iron knife at the left arm. An iron purse-mount (Fig. 4, No. 2) at the left arm. The pursemount is incomplete but its size has been restored on the basis that the corroded remains of the base of a small iron buckle indicate the centre of the mount (cf. the purse-mount from grave 22). The purse contained a worked, flint (Fig. 10, No. 3). An iron buckle (Fig. 9, No. 5). GRAVE 31. A man; 5 ft. 7 in.; 40-45 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, head pillowed; skeleton in good condition; the skull had fallen backwards off the lower jaw; 110°, 2 ft. 9 in. deep. Finds. An iron spearhead (Fig. 4, No. 7) at the right hand side of the skull. No ferrule was found. An iron knife at the left arm. A bronze buckle (Fig. 9, No. 6) at the right waist, tongue pointing right. A bronze brooch (Fig. 6, No. 1) of unusual form at the right waist. Each arm of the brooch is inlaid with bronze plate punched with ring and dot decoration. An iron shield-boss (Fig. 4, No. 5) at the left arm (PL IVa). This shield-boss was intact when found but subsequently fractured in attempted cleaning. An iron shield-grip (Fig. 4, No. 8) and four circular iron plates (one illustrated Fig. 4, No. 9) were found with the boss. The shield had been inserted vertically into the grave and the centre of .the shield-boss was 10 in. above the bottom of the grave. The shield-boss has six rivets around its flange, two of which attached the boss to the grip; the remainder secured the boss to the wood with the aid of octagonal bronze washers (one illustrated Fig. 4, No. 9a). These rivets show a clearance of \ in. to accommodate the wood. The grip, a much bent bar, | in. wide expanding to \\ in. at its centre, is 19 in. long (18 in. from rivet to rivet) and shows a distinct curvature. Its ends are lozenge-shaped and the wooden shield was clamped between each end and one of the circular iron plates by iron rivets. Two similar plates, of decorative value only, were situated slightly anti-clockwise of the functional plates and were secured to the wood of the shield by iron rivets and octagonal bronze washers (cf. Fig. 4, No. 9a). The riVets on all these iron plates are off-set from the centre. The grip was connected to the functional plates along the shortest " radius " and the distance between the extremities of the plates was, therefore, 2 1 | in. This distance indicates a minimum diameter for the shield.1 1 In assessing the diameter of the shield it must be remembered that, if only for reasons of appearance, the iron plates would not be situated right on the edge of the shield. It is also possible that the present bent condition of the grip may be due partly to the fact that it and the shield were originally curved. 22 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE I O I KH H rH ,R hi1 I INCH FIG. 9. BUCKLES. 1. Grave 15 ,- 2. Grave 17 ; 3. Grave 16 ; 4. Grave 23 ; 5. Grave 30 ; 6. Grave 31 7. Grave 42. 23 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE The bronze fittings and iron ring (PI. IV6) of a bronze bound wooden object between the knees. There was considerable leather staining around. The bronze fittings show this object to have been about 7 in. long, 2 in. wide and J in. thick, and it was carried by the iron ring, If in. in diameter, attached to the central bronze binding. Each binding was secured by three bronze rivets. Possibly the object was a wooden strutted, leather covered, bronze bound pouch (cf. the similar object found in grave 5). GRAVE 32. A man; 5 ft. 10 in.; 15-20 years of age; supine, full length, right arm across pelvis; 64°, 2 ft. 9 in. deep. Finds. An iron knife at the left arm. A silver-plated iron buckle and a bronze kidney-shaped attachmentplate (PI. IX, No. 3) at the waist, tongue pointing left. The buckle and the tongue are plated on their upper surfaces only. The belt was joined to the buckle by being clamped between the ends of a silver plate which was bent round the stem of the buckle with a gap to accommodate the tongue. The attachment-plate consists of a flanged casing of bronze, fy in. deep, to which a bronze plate is attached by three bronze rivets. It had an iron back-plate, the corrosion from which had crept over the whole plate, necessitating the stripping down and re-assembling of the plate and inlays in order to facilitate cleaning. The surface of the plate is cloisonne set with thin slices of ruby coloured glass, which are, on their curved edges, chipped and, on their straight edges, cut. The central oval shaped cell is set with an intaglio, probably of red jasper. The intaglio is doubtless from a late Roman seal ring. It is cut with the figure of Athene, left hand on shield and bird in the right (the figure would, of course, be reversed on a resulting impression). The intaglio in its present position was quite functionless and merely decorative. We have no means of knowing whether its owner ever even understood its real use and the whole find provides a charming commentary upon the two differing civilizations represented. GRAVE 33. A woman; 50 years of age; a burial on the right side with the legs slightly contracted, left arm across the pelvis; 124°, 2 ft. 9 in. deep. Finds. An " £ "-shaped brooch (PL VIII, No. 3) of gilded bronze at the neck. The iron pin is corroded but the hinge and catch-plates of bronze remain. The brooch is decorated ia. chip-carving technique and the ridges, other than the central one, are beaded with short cuts at right angles to the line of the ridge. A string of eight blue glass beads, about -| in. in diameter, at the neck. They were probably suspended from the " S "-shaped brooch. GRAVE 34. A man; height 5 ft. 10 in.; 40 years of age; the skull has an almost round (?) trephine hole in the vault, about 4 cm. in diameter to the left of the midline about 12 cm. above the external occipital 24 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE protuberance (in the left parietal bone). The edges of the hole are smooth and fairly sharp; supine, full length, arms straight; 79°, 2 ft. 11 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 35. A young person, sex unknown; about 12 years of age; supine, full length, head pillowed, both arms straight; this grave had intruded upon but not disturbed grave 36; 97°, 2 ft. 8 in. deep. Finds. A bronze bodkin (Fig. 5, No. 2) on the right shoulder. The eye of the bodkin was broken in antiquity. GRAVE 36. A man; 5 ft. 8 in.; 55-60 years of age; supine, full length, right arm across the pelvis, head pillowed; from just above the knees to the feet this skeleton lay 6 in. below the lowest level of the head end of grave 35; 118°, 3 ft. 2 in. deep. Finds. A bronze-gilt buckle and rectangular attachment-plate (PI. X, No. 1) at the left waist, tongue pointing left. The belt was joined to the buckle by being clamped between two bronze strips, each I in. wide and in fragmentary condition, which were bent around the stem of the buckle. The rivets show a clearance of ^ in. to accommodate the belt. A flat bracket fastened the ends of these two bronze strips to the back of the attachment-plate along the side nearest the buckle. The attachment-plate consists of a rectangular casing, % in. deep with a bronze back-plate. This casing is divided into a number of cells of triangular, quadrilateral and semi-circular shapes. All the cells, except the central oval-shaped one, are set with thin slices of coloured glass. The four semi-circular cells are set with green glass; the four cells adjacent to the central one with blue glass; the remainder with red glass. The central setting is missing and we have no means of knowing what the cell once contained. It is tempting to see an intaglio such as is centrally set in the attachment-plate from grave 32, in this position. Each of the glass inlays is underlain by gold foil, some of which bears a decoration of ring and dot within squares of chequer pattern (cf. the pattern on the gold foil underlying the inlays of the attachment-plate from grave 17). The cloisonne surface shows a slight convexity. The attachment-plate was joined to the belt by four bronze rivets, one at each corner. On the surface of the plate these rivets are housed within the curved ends of the bronze cell walls. GRAVE 37. A young girl; 10-11 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight, head pillowed; 119°, 2 ft. 4 in. deep. Finds. An iron knife at the right arm. Nine bronze staples at the right hand side of the skull. They vary in size, and the largest, smallest and intermediate sizes are shown in Fig. 11, No. 3. Whatever their purpose they do not seem to have con- 25 t o I INCH FIG. 10. 1 and 2. Worked flints, grave 12 ; 3. Worked flint, grave 30 ; 4. Bronze bracelet, grave 27 ; 5. Silver ring, grave 16 ; 6. Amber bead, grave 16 ; 7. Bronze bangle, grave 16. 26 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE tained wood and they stretched away from the skull in a line, in diminishing size.1 GRAVE 38. A young person, sex unknown; about 12 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight; 131°, 1 ft. 7 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 39. A woman; 60 years of age; skull vault much thickened, suggesting Paget's Disease; supine, full length, arms straight; 126°, 2 ft. 3 in. deep. Finds. A pair of bronze-gilt saucer brooches (PL VIII, No. 1), one at either shoulder. The brooch on the right shoulder was found face downwards. The iron pins have corroded but the hinge and catchplates remain. The flanges are £ in. high and the decoration is in a poorly executed chip-carving technique. The two brooches are doubtless from the same mould. A pair of bronze-gilt square-headed brooches (PL VIII, No. 2), one found head pointing upwards on the lower chest, the other head pointing towards the right at the left waist. The iron pins have corroded but the hinge and catch-plates of bronze remain. The brooches, probably from the same mould, are decorated in poorly executed chip-carving technique with subsequent stamped decoration. The intersection of the vertical and horizontal dividing lines is set with a circular chipped piece of red glass. A string of 28 beads (PL VII6, No. 2) which had been attached to the small square-headed brooch at the lower chest. The beads are of glass, amber and baked clay. Several tiny spherical glass beads were fused together in the process of manufacture; four are of blue glass inlaid with vitreous paste and one, of blue glass, is cone-shaped. A string of nine blue glass beads at the right ankle. GRAVE 40. A man; 5 ft. 8 in.; 25-30 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight; this grave had been disturbed over the chest at an unknown date; 94°, 2 ft. 5 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 41. A woman; 25 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight; 109°, 2 ft. 5 in. deep. Finds. An amber-coloured glass claw-beaker (PL XI) at the left hand side of the skull. The beaker was found lying on its side, the mouth towards the head of the grave. Although fractured it was recovered completely. The vessel stands 7£ in. high and the diameter of the mouth, which is strongly flared, is 4 in. The pontil-mark is prominent on the base, and the lower and upper parts of the vessel bear 1 These staples have been met with frequently in Saxon burials, particularly at Hollywell in graves 23, 31, 37, 38, 93, 113, and 137, where they were often found in pairs against the skull or hip, with wooden remains attached. T. C. Lethbridge, Recent Excavations in Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. (Cambridge Antiquarian Sooiety Quarto Publications New Series, no. 3.) 27 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE a decoration of spiral glass trail. There are two rows of claws, each four in number, arranged symmetrically around the glass. The claws have a pronounced clockwise sweep, and each tip is doubled back in a clockwise direction. The glass is extremely thin and shows many air bubbles in its texture. GRAVE 42. A child, sex unknown; 6-12 months old; the skeleton is in very poor condition but the burial was probably on the left hand side with the legs slightly contracted; 35°, 2 ft. 4 in. deep. Finds. A silver-plated bronze buckle (Fig. 9, No. 7) at the left waist, tongue pointing right. The tongue has a rectangular shield. A hand-made pot of black corky fabric with shell grit. The pot was poorly made and fired and in three places the surface had flaked off, probably in the process of firing. GRAVE 43. Probably a woman; 5 ft. 5 in.; 50-60 years of age; supine, full length, arms straight; 92°, 1 ft. 11 in. deep. No finds. GRAVE 44. Probably a woman; 5 ft. 1 in.; 40-45 years of age;1 supine, full length, arms across the pelvis; skeleton in good condition; the skull had fallen backwards off the lower jaw; an exceptionally large grave, 9 ft. 3 in. by 4 ft. 1 in.; 100°, 4 ft. 3 in. deep (PL V). Finds. Four iron coffin clamps, each with two nails. The position of these in the grave indicated the size of the coffin and the method of its construction. The coffin was 6 ft. 3 in. long, 1 ft. 9 in. wide at the head, and 1 ft. 6 in. wide at the foot. One of the coffin clamps (Fig. 4, No. 4) has been electrolytically cleaned and is now in an excellent state of preservation. It consists of a bar 5|- in. long by 1 in. wide and $ in. thick, pierced by two round-headed nails, 2-| in. long. The diameter of the heads is § in. and the nails are rectangular in section, tapering to a point in one dimension only.2 The sides of the coffin clearly consisted of two planks clamped together by the iron bar and its nails. These nails were sufficiently long to pass through the side planks and hold the end planks in place, and the whole framework was thus held firm by the four bars and eight nails. The outline of the sides 1 In view of the importance of this burial the remarks of the anatomist (Dr. J. Joseph) on the skeleton are worth quoting in full: " These skeletal remains show certain peculiarities. The limb bones are small and suggest a female, height 5 ft. 1 in. (from a femur and a tibia). The innominate bone is female, as is the sacroiliac articulation, but the sacrum has certain male measurements. The frontal bone of the skull suggests male and the mastoid processes of the temporal bone could be male or female. The atlas is definitely female (transverse diameter 76 mm.). With regard to the age, the lower jaw of the alveolus during life, and the remaining teeth show varying wear, some very worn and some not (40-45). The skull shows suture lines, including the metopic suture, suggesting age about 30. The skull is thicker than usual (10 mm.)." 2 Four similar clamps with nails were found at Sarre and are in the Collections of the Kent Archseological Society at the Maidstone Museum, K.A.S. nos. 766-59. A typical one measures 6f in. by |- in. 28 PLATE XI I O r I-I i-i L-I i_! i_l 2 INCHES Glass claw-beaker, grave 41. [face p. 28 PIRATE XII I O 1 M I-I r-l M k-l I INCH 1 A and B. A pair of gilded silver cloisonne set square-headed brooches, grave 44 ; 2 A and B. A pair of gilded silver cloisonne set circular brooches, grave 44. THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE of the coffin could be traced by discoloration of the grave fill; the powdery remains of the base and lid could also be traced. The coffin had been banked up on all sides by chalk lumps after it had been placed in the grave. p r\\ l ##t0 rfll n l J 4 .0 ry% JU' I o I INCH Fro. 11. 1. Underside of the junction of handle and bowl of the silver spoon, grave 44 ; 2. Melon bead, grave 44 ; 3. Bronze staples, grave 37 ; 4. Representation of the pattern formed by the upper surface of a fragment of gold braid, grave 44, 29 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE A silver-gilt circular brooch (PL XII, No. 2A) at the left-hand side of the skull. The iron pin has corroded but the hinge and catch-plates remain. The brooch is decorated in chip-carving technique with niello inlay around the edge. There are three keystone-shaped settings of garnet underlain by gold foil, and a central circular setting of garnet cut " en eabochon ", also underlain by gold foil. A circular brooch (PL XII, No. 2B) identical to the one above, over the chest. Attached to the silver hinge-plate is a silver wire anchor for a length of silver chain. Each link of this chain is a separate piece of wire, looped and doubled to attach it to its adjacent link.1 The silver chain was threaded through a single melon bead of vitreous blue paste (Fig. 11, No. 2). A silver-gilt square-headed brooch (PL XII, No. 1A) at the pelvis, head pointing towards the right elbow. The iron pin has corroded but the hinge and catch-plates of silver remain. Only slight traces of the gilding can be traced. The brooch is decorated in finely executed chipcarving technique, with a liberal use of zig-zag niello inlay and beading of the ridges; there are cloisonne set garnets underlain by gold foil on the head, bow and foot. The head-plate has a rectangular cell at each corner; three of these are set with garnet but the inlay from the cell in the top left-hand corner is missing. The upper border of the headplate is decorated in openwork style with truncated triangles surmounted by part-circles. The centre of the plate has a mask of two eyes in Style 1, grouped around a rectangular cell set with garnet, with elliptical settings of garnet radiating from each corner. The garnet of the central rectangular cell is incised with a circular cut into which has been inlaid a flat strip of gold foil. The bow of the brooch is bordered by zig-zag niello inlay. The central channel of the bow has walls | in. high and is divided into nine cells with gold walls, inlaid with garnet. The cutting and inlay technique is good. The undivided foot-plate is flanked on its upper sides by two animals'in Style 1, heads downwards, and on its lower, by two long serpent heads with collars. There are two triangular, one diamond and one tear drop-shaped settings of garnet, all underlaid with gold foil. The last mentioned setting is incised and inlaid in the same maimer as the central rectangular setting of the head-plate. The lower part of the foot-plate was surrounded by a piece of beaded wire (not illustrated) which had been attached by solder. The brooch was well worn when it was buried and the garnet from the top left-hand cell had been missing for some time causing undue compression and wear of the corner of the empty cell. A silver-gilt square-headed brooch (PL XII, No. IB) almost identical to 1 For similarly constructed chain see J. Akerman, Remains of Pagan Saxondom, PL I, from a barrow at Devizes; and J. De Baye, Anglo-Saxon Industry, p. 44, Eig. 9, from Faversham. 30 PLATE XIII ^ M | M m 'fa INCHES 'm ra The silver spoon and crystal ball, grave 44. I face p. 30 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE the one above, found lying at the same angle a few inches below it. The brooch is doubtless from the same mould but there are shght differences in the extent of the beading of the ridges which took place after casting. This brooch has 11 cells across the bow. All its garnet inlays are present. A silver-gilt spoon (PL XIII) found between the knees with the bowl inverted. The spoon has an adjustable silver wire suspension loop which passes through a hole in the handle. This loop shows clearly the marks of wear by suspension. The handle is octagonal in section and its upper and two side surfaces are inlaid with zig-zag niello work. The bowl is deep (f in.) and is perforated with nine holes arranged in the form of a right-angled cross. It is possible to see the scribed lines which were made in the laying out of the pattern for the holes. The w&wwm 1 0 1 2 INCHII FIG. 12. POTTERY. 1. Grave 24 ; 2. Grave 42. edges of the bowl broaden out into flanges to strengthen the junction of bowl with handle. These flanges are decorated with two beaked heads and eyes in punched dot technique, and with two cast and chased curved beaks, the eyes of which are set with (?)hemi-spherical garnets. The base of the handle on its upper surface is cast in the form of an animal head. The eyes are cast metal and there is niello inlay on the head and above the eyes. The heads of two of the three rivets which attach bowl to handle were incorporated into the decorative scheme as ears of the animal head. The nose is expanded to accommodate a triangular setting of garnet underlain by gold foil. On its underside also the base of the handle is cast in the form of an animal head with cast eyes and ears which are once again the heads of the securing rivets. There is niello inlay on the fore-head and along the length of the nose (Fig. 11, No. 1). The third securing rivet for handle 31 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE and bowl is situated beneath the triangular garnet set cell. In addition to the suspension loop, the handle and the underside of the bowl show signs of considerable wear. A crystal-ball mounted in a silver-gilt sling (PL XIII) was found beneath the bowl of the spoon. It has an adjustable suspension loop of silver wire, passing through the collar which houses the end of the strap-work. The cap to this collar has a beaded edge and during its long sojourn with the spoon in the grave had marked the bowl of the spoon at the point of contact. The strapwork was cast in one piece of cruciform shape with five ribs, two of which are beaded by incisions at intervals of ^ in. The polished rock crystal shows a number of internal flaws. Seventeen fragments of gold " braid " at the side of and underneath the skull. The fragments vary in length from £ in. to 1 | in. Although many of them were found in isolation it seems possible that originally they did, in fact, form a continuous line which, upon the collapse of the perishable parts of the cloth into which they were woven, was broken. Such a collapse may also have caused the congestion of five pieces of the " braid " in one particular place. A typical fragment is represented in Fig. 11, No. 4, and it is possible to trace from the indentations on the gold " braid " the pattern which it made on the surface of the cloth. It seems likely that the gold thread was interwoven, as a portion of the weft, with seven strands of the warp. If the gold " braid " had formed a continuous line of separate fragments, it would have conveniently formed a decorated border or section of a head-band reaching from ear to ear across the upper forehead. The position of the " braid ", as it was found in the grave, in relation to the skull supports this suggestion. STTMMARY OF THE FINDS Weapons The Lyminge cemetery has not yielded, so far, a large number of weapons. Five spearheads (graves 1, 4, 5, 6 and 31), three shieldbosses (graves 1, 4 and 31), two axe-heads (graves 1 and 7) and 15 knives were found; all the knives are of the small domestic type and all had handles of wood or other perishable material. The only unusual feature presented by these weapons is the inlay on the junction of blade and haft of the spearhead from grave 4. On the technical side the analysis of the inlaid metal is worthy of comment for it has been shown to be brass and not bronze (see p. 9). Here is yet further evidence that much so-called Anglo-Saxon bronze is in fact a brass, with a zinc content not dissimilar to that of a Roman brass coin.1 1 See R. F. Jessup, Anglo-Saxon Jewellery, p . 46. 32 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Probably much of the base as well as the precious metal of the Anglo- Saxon jeweller and metalsmith was obtained from the Roman Imperial coinage. This inlay technique, especially when it occurs on buckles, such as that from grave 29, has been conventionally dismissed as " Frankish imported ". An insular school for this type of work has, however, been argued for recently1 and a good deal of evidence produced by X-ray photography to show that this work is, in fact, more common in England than was at first thought. There is no doubt that the technique was also practised in Merovingian Gaul and, although it is possible to parallel the Lyminge spearhead inlay on only two other examples,2 both from this country, only more extensive X-ray photography of corroded specimens in museums on "both sides of the channel will determine the true provenance of the Lyminge spearhead. Buckles It is inevitable that amongst such an imposing array of grave furniture as that from Lyminge the exotic and highly decorated objects should present conflicting chronological pictures. A less confusing and more reliable estimate of the date of the cemetery may be gained from those objects which are not of great intrinsic value, but yet have sufficient morphological characteristics for their chronological sequence to be determined. Such a group of objects is that of the buckles and the Lyminge cemetery has produced a good yield of these. In all 19 buckles were found. Of these 11 were in the graves of men and 5 in the graves of women. A careful check was kept of the positions of these but apparently sex did not determine whether the belt was fastened from the left or from the right. In most cases the way in which the belt was joined to the buckle and to the attachment-plate was established. Eighteen of the Lyminge buckles are in a condition worthy of illustration (Figs. 8 and 9, and Pis. IX and X). All of these consist of a simple oval loop, sometimes with a stem of reduced thickness, and all except three of the tongues (graves 12, 23 and 42) are plain. Some show a characteristic thickening of the tongue at its base but three alone have shields (graves 12, 23 and 42) and these are only slightly developed. The majority of the buckles fall, then, into a group discussed by Aberg3 and placed by him in the latter half of the sixth century A.D. The Style 1 decorated attachment-plate from grave 1 is what one would expect to find with buckles of this type.* The absence 1 Miss Vera I. Evison, " Early Anglo-Saxon Inlaid Metalwork ", Antiquaries Journal, Vol. XXXV, p. 21. 2 Ibid., p. 24. 3 N. Aberg, The Anglo-Saxons in England, p. 117. 4 For further examples see ibid., p. 118. 33 o THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE of any developed shields on the tongues of the buckles from Lymmge suggests that none of the buckles is later than about A.D. 600 and that many are probably nearer A.D. 550. Cloisonne-set jewellery The dating of the buckles may be correlated with that of the attachment-plates which accompanied them. That from grave 1 has already been noted above. All the other attachment-plates, except that from grave 22, are rectangular or kidney-shaped, and triangular attachment-plates are absent. Three of the attachment-plates (graves 17, 32 and 36) have their surfaces cloisonne-set in the roughest style and similar treatment has been accorded to the jeweUed purse-mount from grave 27. The cell and inlay treatment is well removed from the more sophisticated Faversham and Kingston styles and the most notable characteristics may be summarized as follows: chipping (in the manner of the flint worker) of the inlays to shape; u shaped cutting or chipping of the inlays (note this feature on the cloisonne work of the bows of the square-headed brooches from grave 44); and the ring and dot within squares of chequer pattern decoration of the underlying gold foil. Although some of these characteristics may be paralleled in this country,1 more numerous examples of this type of work can be found in Frankish areas on the Continent. Purse-mounts, showing a strong family resemblance to the Lyminge example have been found at Envermeau2 and at Herpes3 and both these examples show — u— shaped cuttings of the inlays. Similar shaped cloison bars can be found on a brooch from Concevreux, dept Aisne,4 and on grave furniture from the Tomb of Childeric. There is a kidney-shaped attachmentplate, roughly cloisonne-set, from Amiens in the British Museum.5 Much of this coarse cloisonne" work is reminiscent of Vandal work of the fifth century A.D. and the rectangular attachment-plate of a large buckle from a Vandal grave at Bone, Algeria, in the British Museum,6 1 A kidney-shaped attachment-plate, roughly cloisonne-set and with ring and dot decoration within squares of chequer pattern tin foil was found in inhumation grave 119 at Abingdon. E. T. Leeds and D. B. Harden, The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Abingdon, p. 55, Fig. 8. The writers cite a Frankish parallel. A similarly shaped attachment-plate, cloisonn6 set in the same style, was found at Howletts and is in the British Museum. 1936, 5, 11, 115-16. 2 L'Abbe Cochet, " Notes on the Interment of a young Frankish Warrior at Envermeau ", Arcltaeologia, XXXVII, PI. II, no. 8, p. 106. The purse-mount in question is not apparently from the burial desoribed. 3 Bulletin de la Sociilid arehaiologique di la Oharente, 1890-91, 6 Berios, 1, PI. V, 17. * J. Pilloy, Sipultwes dans VAinne, I I I , 228, PL C, 2. 6 No. 91, 10, 192C. » No. 65, 3-18, 1. 34 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE shows — u — shaped cutting of the inlays surrounding a central ovalshaped cell, and gold foil decorated with rings and dots within squares. All these features appear at Lyminge and it is tempting to ask whether they represent a Vandal contribution to the story of cloisonne" work in western Europe. It is important to note that at Lyminge the u shaped cutting of the garnets on the bow of the square-headed brooch from grave 44 (itself much more accomplished than the rudimentary efforts on the purse-mount) is co-incident with the well-developed Style 1 zoomorphic ornament on the head-plate and with the circular brooches from the same grave (assigned to Leeds Class 1). On the continent the u shaped cells seem to have been superseded during the seventh century by true step cut inlays and the association of such step cells with Style 2 zoomorphic ornament on the Kingston brooch may indicate that a similar development took place in the history of Kentish cloisonne" work. The jewellery from Lyminge will prove to be an important link in the research work which must still be done to learn more about the relationship of the Kentish and Continental cloisonne schools. The Lyminge cloisonne jewellery must rank amongst the earliest of this type of work to be found in this country. Its Frankish affinities have been stressed. Having made its appearance in conjunction with the simple shaped buckles mentioned above (possibly about the middle of the sixth century A.D.) it reached its best expressed form by the end of the century, when Leeds Class 1 circular brooches were in fashion and Style 1 zoomorphic ornament fully developed. There is no evidence yet that the " Lyminge " jewellers progressed beyond this stage to vie in style with the Faversham and Kingston finds of the seventh century A.D. The brooches Eighteen brooches were found at Lyminge and at least nine types are represented: square-headed 4 (graves 39 and 44); saucer 3 (graves 10 and 39); penannular and annular 2 (graves 10 and 25); equal-armed 2 (grave 24); circular 2 (grave 44); " S " shaped 1 (grave 33); radiatehead 1 (grave 16); button 1 (grave 16); plate 1 (grave 25) and the unusual form from grave 31. The brooches, therefore, show great variety in type and deooration and they do not fall into a closely defined chronological period. The earliest in date must undoubtedly be the penannular and annular brooohes from graves 10 and 25, especially the former. The decoration here is essentially Romano-provincial and owes little to Teutonic style, although the dividing feature of a pair of double lines and cross is well known on decorative schemes on this type of brooch found in Anglo- 35 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Saxon burials.1 The quality of the decoration on the Lymmge brooch ensures that it must take a high place artistically amongst that group of objects which are usually cited as examples of naturalistic animal ornament in the earliest Anglo-Saxon period.2 Chronologically the brooch must stand very early in this group for only the " bearded beaks " have yielded to any degree of styhzation. This may well have been the sort of ornament which was being worn in Kent (or on the Continent) at about the time the earliest invaders were making their penetrations in the west.8 The saucer brooches must also be comparatively early in date belonging to the earlier half of the sixth century A.D. That from grave 10 is the first applied saucer brooch to be found in Kent. Its association with the decorated penannular brooch suggests that the applied saucer brooch has a history at least as old as the cast and that the star-fish decorative pattern is in fact an early feature of Saxon geometric design, possibly to be linked with late Roman ornament. The " S " shaped and radiate-head brooches are undoubtedly Frankish imports and the association of the radiate-head with the gold bracteate of Montelius group D shows that this type with lozengeshaped foot-plate was being imported before A.D. 600. The small equal-armed brooches from grave 24 are unusual but their decoration in Style 1 places them in the second half of the sixth century A.D., as also the button brooch from grave 16. The square-headed and circular brooches from grave 44 probably represent the latest deposit in the cemetery so far excavated. The circular brooches fall into Leeds Class 1 of Kentish circular brooches* about the end of the sixth century A.D. and the two large square-heads may be referred to the same date. The — u — shaped ceUs across the bow of the brooch have already been discussed. The decoration of the head-plate in Style 1 linked with this particular shaped cutting of the stones would seem to confirm the above date for this grave. These two brooches have so many individual characteristics that it would be difficult to place them into any of the groups which are discussed by Aberg.5 The truncated triangles surmounted by part-circles are not a normal Kentish characteristic but the general disposition of the garnet 1 See, for example, the schematic divisions of a flat annular brooch from HoUywell, grave 10. T. C. Lethbridge, op. cit., and also an example from Marston St. Lawrence, Northants, Archaeologia, XLVIII, PI. XXIII. 2 N. Aberg, op. cit., p. 161; G. Baldwin Brown, The Arts in Early England, Vol. IV, p. 648 ff.; E. T. Leeds, Anglo-Saxon Art and Archaeology, Cap. I. 8 The style of the animals on the Lyminge brooch is very olose to that of a group of " horse brooches " from Germany and N. Italy, in the Ashmolean Museum, nos. 1927, 436-37. See Proa. Soc. Antiq., Second Series, Vol. XXII, p. 64, figs, 1 E. T. Leeds, op. cit., p. 115. 5 N. Aberg, op. cit., p. 61 ff. 36 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE settings and sumptuousnessof the decoration would seem to place these brooches in the Sarre, Chessell Down, Herpes complex.1 None of the Lyminge brooches is likely to be later than about A.D. 600 although the types and decoration were in use probably for a hundred years and more before this date. The variety in type probably reflects to the full the fusion of Frank, Saxon and Briton in an area of great geographical significance (see p. 40) which was at the turn of the century to produce the full flower of Kentish or Jutish culture. Pottery Two pottery vessels were found in graves 24 and 42, both child burials. The latter is such a pot as might be found on any Anglo-Saxon site and is an addition to the growing fist of hand-made pottery found in E. Kent. Typologically it is pre-Frankish, late fifth or early sixth century A.D. in date, but it is equally likely to be a poor example made some two generations or so afterwards. It was found with a buckle, the tongue of which has a rectangular shield. The wheel-turned vessel from grave 24 is of a fabric and shape with a well known Frankish and Jutish distribution. Glass Glass vessels were-found in graves 13 and 41. The cylindrical glass bottle from grave 13 is an unusually interesting find. In his well known review of Anglo-Saxon glass vessels found in England, Dr. D. B. Harden2 listed only one such glass vessel, from Bifrons.3 The Bifrons bottle (PL VI, No. 2) is broken and incomplete but the Lyminge bottle was recovered complete and undamaged. Both bottles are undoubtedly products of the Frankish Rhineland and their shape is derived from the fourth century Roman funnel-mouthed cylindrical flask which had ceased to be manufactured on the Continent by the beginning of the fifth century A.D.4 Continental parallels are not closely dated5 but the well-formed shoulder of the Lyminge bottle may indicate a relationship not far removed from the Roman prototype, which invariably shows an angular junction of body and neck6 in contrast to the smoother flowing form of Frankish examples. The 1 Cf. N. Aberg, op. cit., Figs. 126, 129 Chessell Down; Fig. 120 Sarre and Fig. 119 Herpes. 2 Archaeological News Letter, July, 1960. 3 In the Collections of the Kent Archaeological Sooiety at Maidstone Museum, K.A.S., no. 270. 1 F. Rademaoher, " Frankische Glaser aus dem Rheinland", Bonner Jahrbucher, 147(1942), p. 319. 5 Ibid., Tafel 69, nos. 1 and 2. 0 W. Habery, " Spatantike Glaser aus Grabern von Mayen", Bonner Jahrbucher, 147(1942), p. 249 ff. See examples from graves 3, 11, 12, 19 and 24. 37 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Lyminge bottle, like a very similar, but smaller example from Herpes,1 does not show the expanded base which is characteristic of many late Roman and most Frankish flasks (cf. the Bifrons bottle). This does not argue necessarily for a late date, on the grounds that this feature is merely a debasement of the late Roman pedestal, for the simple rolled over base is found on the late Roman cylindrical flask also. The Lyminge bottle was probably manufactured about the middle of the fifth century A.D. but its exotic and valuable nature render it uninformative for dating the cemetery, or even the grave, in which it was found. It may well have been up to 100 years old when it was buried. The amber-coloured glass claw-beaker found in grave 41 shows a verywide flare of the mouth. This helps to place it in a group suggested to have been manufactured about the middle of the fifth century A.D.2 OTHER FINDS EROM LYMINGE In 1890, Canon Jenkins, a noted Lyminge antiquary, reported to the Society of Antiquaries that a number of burials of Saxon date had been discovered during the cutting of the Elham Valley railway line.3 The burial goods included a garnet set radiate-headed brooch and a knobbed cruciform brooch, the foot of which terminates in an animal head.4 Spearheads and shield bosses were found also. The site of these finds stands upon rising ground on the opposite side of the Elham Valley from the parish church and geographically the finds are more closely linked with a settlement on the site of modern Lymmge than are those of the newly discovered cemetery. Their date, however, would seem to indicate that the cemetery from which they came was in use about the same time, and possibly a little earlier, than the other. THE IMPORTANCE OF SAXON LYMINGE The geographical situation of Lyminge is impressive for it stands at the head of the Elham Valley and yet holds a commanding position across the watershed which divides this vaUey from the gathering grounds of the streams which flow to the sea at Hythe, Sandgate and Folkestone. Furthermore the ancient trackway, running along the scarp of the downs north-west to south-east, passes close to the modern village. ••''' 1 In the British Museum, no. 1905, 5-20, 8. 2 W. A.' Thorpe, English Glass, pp. 54-5. * V. C. H. Kent, Vol. 1, p. 364; Proc. Soc. Antiq., X, p. 206. The find-spot (N.G.R. 1650.4070) _ is a few yards to the north of the bridge over the (now disused) railway cutting, which carries a road from Lvminge to Paddlesworth (see Fig. 2). .* Both in the British Museum and illustrated in V.O.H. Kent, and in Aberg, op. cit., p. 90. 38 THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Some Roman family had early appreciated the situation and had built a villa close by the site of the present church.1 It was Lyminge which was chosen as a suitable place to which Queen Ethelburga could retire after the death of her husband, King Edwin of Northumbria in A.D. 6332 and she was given permission to found a nunnery there by her brother, King Eadbald of Kent.3 The probable remains of Queen Ethelburga's church, a simple basilican structure with apsidal end, lie just to the south of the modern church. Much Roman material was incorporated into the Saxon and the later churches. Not only was Lyminge thus religiously and politically dignified in the seventh century A.D. but it was also, apparently, a place of some industrial significance also. In A.D. 689 King Oswin of Kent granted Adrian,Abbot and the Abbey of St. Peter, Canterbury, an iron mine near Lyminge.4 This grant has puzzled students of the industrial history of the Weald5 for Lyminge is far removed from the conventional iron bearing deposits of that area. Considerable amounts of iron-stone would seem to be obtainable from Pliocene deposits which cap the chalk of the high downland to the east and west of the Elham Valley in the Lymmge area. The place-name ending inge is generally taken to be indicative of an early Saxon settlement. There is, however, no bulk of material so far recovered from the Lyminge cemetery which confirms an unusually early date for a settlement in the area. The general inference from the discussion of the finds above is that most of them were being buried during the middle and latter part of the sixth century A.D. AS a group the Lymmge finds stand half-way between the undoubtedly early finds from Bifrons6 and Faussett's Kingston Down and other finds. The absence of cruciform brooches on the one hand and Style 2 zoomorphic decoration and its associated ornamental features on the other, confirm the positive evidence from the buckles and the cloisonne-set jewellery in favour of the above mentioned date. It is known from literary evidence that Lyminge was a place of importance in seventh century Jutish Kent. If the cemetery site is to be connected with that village (it must be remembered that the cemetery could have served settlements at Sibton Park and Ottinge as well) then this importance can now be projected back into the sixth century. In the latter part of the sixth century King Ethelbert of Kent took a 1 V.C.H. Kent, Vol. I l l , p. 121. 2 Bede, Ecc. Hist., II, 20. 3 Hist. Mon. St. Aug. (Rolls series), 176. 4 Birch, Cartularium Saxonicum, I, p. 107, no. 73. 5 V.C.H. Kent, Vol. i n , p. 384. 0 Particularly that part of the Bifrons Collection formerly housed at Bifrons House and now recently presented to the Collections of the Kent Archaeological Society at Maidstone Museum by Major F. W. Tomlinson. 39- THE JUTISH CEMETERY AT LYMINGE Frankish wife but this was merely pohtical confirmation of an aheady existing relationship between the two kingdoms which is well attested by Kentish Saxon finds. The Lyminge finds fall convincingly into the Frankish framework in Kent and the only points at issue are the exact nature of the relationship between Kent and Gaul—were the Lyminge Frankish finds imported by trade or were they the result of a folk migration?—and the earliest date at which this relationship can be said to have started. The writer beheves that the evidence from the Lyminge cemetery in favour of actual Frankish settlement in Kent is stronger than that from any other single cemetery site. Although the cloisonne-set jewellery must be the earliest of its type in this country it seems that it did not make its appearance here until the cruciform brooches had gone out of fashion. The writer is aware that this argument may be invalidated by further finds or by the perseverance of the annular form of brooch in two of the graves. Before this point can be finally settled we must await a more complete excavation of the cemetery. Only then can the brooch evidence, studied in relationship to the site plan, be expected to yield a coherent story. Certainly the geographical situation of Lyminge, linking the southeast Kent sea board and the comparatively densely populated areas of the Stour Valleys, would make the village an important funnel through which Frankish culture might be diffused into Eastern Kent. The Society gratefully acknowledges that this Report is published with the aid of a generous donation from Mr. I. D. Margary. 40