Guilton Grave 56

Grave as the last, and about three feet deep. Much black, remains of a coffin: bones pretty perfect: long hasta, on the right side, and on the outside of the coffin: an hemispherical umbo; in the rim of which were four brass studs, with heads near an inch broad, and plated with silver, as before: four broad-headed iron studs: an hollow cylinder for the handle: two cross pieces of iron, as before: the blade of a sword [M 6202], like those described at No. 10, etc., to which adhered its chape [M 6061],[1] which is of silver, and gilded; the pommel was of iron, and also adhered to the strig, to which, it was riveted; it was full of lead, but was so swollen with the rust, that I could not make out its true shape; but it seemed to have been nearly round (the lead which I knocked out of it was quite so), and I imagine it to have been about two inches diameter. The blade also of a short sword, or dagger, about twelve inches long, and nearly like that at No. 12. These lay both of them at the left side, and in the coffin. A large iron buckle, like that at No. 50: two small brass buckles: the blades of two knives, and several nails.[1] If we compare this object with fig. 4, pl. xl, vol. xxx, of the Archaologia, which represents a very perfect Saxon sword-handle from Gilton, in the museum of Mr. Rolfe, we shall see that Mr. Faussett is mistaken in considering it a chape; for that referred to retains its original place at the outer extremity of the handle. It may have belonged to the dagger, which it appears was placed with the sword. These globular pommels will presently be discussed. One has already been referred to and illustrated under the head of grave No. 23; a third was among the contents of No. 66; and a fourth appears in No. 89, under which head see Note.- C.R.S.