The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . hich the spout is frequently is the case with one of the so-called Roman tripods in tlieMuseum of the Scottish Antiquaries, which was found in its presentimperfect state at a depth of five feet below the surface, in a mossnear Closeburn Hall, Dumfries-shire. It is of a form of veryfrequent occurrence, and the de-coration of the spout, thoughalso not uncommon, is such asan unprejudiced critic would bemuch more inclined to ascribe toBritish or Scandinavian thanRoman art. It is figured herealong with another of rarer formdug up
The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . hich the spout is frequently is the case with one of the so-called Roman tripods in tlieMuseum of the Scottish Antiquaries, which was found in its presentimperfect state at a depth of five feet below the surface, in a mossnear Closeburn Hall, Dumfries-shire. It is of a form of veryfrequent occurrence, and the de-coration of the spout, thoughalso not uncommon, is such asan unprejudiced critic would bemuch more inclined to ascribe toBritish or Scandinavian thanRoman art. It is figured herealong with another of rarer formdug up in the neighbourhood ofDundee, and now preserved at Dalmahoy House.^ The superstitious veneration which ignoranceattaches more or less readily to whatever is derived from a remote orunknown origin, has not failed to include these ancient utensilsamong the objects of its devotion or fear. In Ireland, more espe-cially, this feeling is still powerful in its influence on the peasantry,and not unfrequently throws additional obstacles in the way of anti-. * A group of similar bronze vessels ofcommoner forms, including an example ofthe Roman sacrificial patera, preserved in the Abbotsford collection, is engraved amongthe illustrations to tlie Antiquary.—AIj-hotfforil Edit. vol. ii. p. 12. DOMESTIC AND SEPULCHRAL VESSELS. 279 quarian research. But in Scotland it was also equally powerful atno very remote date, nor was its influence limited to the unletteredpeasant. In the great hall of Tullyallan Castle, near Kincardine,there formerly hung suspended from one of the bosses of its richlysculptured roof an ancient bronze kettle of the most usual form, whichbore the name of The Ladys Purse. It was traditionally reputed tobe filled with gold; and the old family legend bore, that so long as ithung there the Castle would stand and the Tullyallan family wouldflourish. Whether the Blackadders of Tullyallan ever had recourseto the treasures of the ladys purse in their hour of need can nolonger
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidarchaeologyp, bookyear1851
