Kingston Down Grave 76

Tumulus and grave much as the last: the bones were much decayed; the coffin appeared not to have passed the fire. The head of a pilum on the left side; the blade of a knife much like that described at No. 54. It was very like our modern pruning knives. The blade of a short sword or dagger; it was about ten inches long, and one inch and a half broad, near the hilt. Its silver pommel [M 6155] is neatly set with oblong squares of some white shell, as it seems; or it may be ivory. It is nearly spherical, and is about the size of a middling walnut; it is about an inch high, and an inch in diameter. The strig was unluckily broken in pieces in getting it out; otherwise that would have discovered the length of the hilt.[1] Here was also a small brass buckle [M 6156]. At the feet, and on the outside of the coffin,was a copper or brass pan or basin [M 6157]. It is eight and a half inches wide; and three and a quarter inches deep. It has been much pieced and mended. It had on it four flat, round, pieces of the same metal, one of them was on the bottom, on the outside; and the other three were placed, at equal distances, on the outside of its belly. This utensil was certainly not designed to be put on the fire; for if it had ever been put to that use, these pieces, just mentioned, being only soldered on, would immediately have been melted off: there was also a misshapen lump of rusty iron, which from its situation, namely near the left foot, I took to be the ferrule or spike of the pilum; and some nails.[1]This pommel is a new and interesting addition to our knowledge of the details of Saxon weapons. The material with which the cells are filled appears to be a calcareous paste.- C.R.S.