The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . pularly styled Samsons Ribs, they uncovereda sepulchral deposit containing a cineraiy urn,Avhich was unfortunately broken to fragments bya stroke of the workmans shovel. Further tothe eastward two, at least, and probably morebronze celts of large size were found, along with asmall drinking-cup, engraved on a subsequent further to the east, almost directly above Duddingstone Loch—where the magnificent Queens Drive is carried along the steepside of the hill at an elevation of nearly 300 feet above the level of theneighbouring loch—t
The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . pularly styled Samsons Ribs, they uncovereda sepulchral deposit containing a cineraiy urn,Avhich was unfortunately broken to fragments bya stroke of the workmans shovel. Further tothe eastward two, at least, and probably morebronze celts of large size were found, along with asmall drinking-cup, engraved on a subsequent further to the east, almost directly above Duddingstone Loch—where the magnificent Queens Drive is carried along the steepside of the hill at an elevation of nearly 300 feet above the level of theneighbouring loch—two most beautiful and perfect leaf-shaped bronzeswords were dug up, in a ])ed of vegetable charcoal, but with no re-mains which woiild indicate its having been a sepulchral deposit. Thelargest of the two swords measures 2^4 inches long; the other 24finches by If inches in greatest breadth. In other respects they en-tirely agree, resembling in figure the usual fonia of this gracefulweapon, as will be observed from the annexed engraving of one of. void Arthu them. The swords and the largest of the bronze celts, figured above,are now in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries. The other THE METALLUl^GIC TRANSITION. 229 celt and the cup are in my own possession; and as they were ob-tained from an Irish labourer, Avho shewed no little reluctance to bequestioned, it is extremely probable that these are but a portion ofthe valuable treasures disclosed in the course of the many more may lie interred for the gratification and instructionof future generations covered only by a foot or two of soil! It naturally becomes a question of considerable interest to us,—Arethese weapons, of beautiful and varied forms, the product of nativegenius and skill ? or were they brought hither by foreign conquerors,to remain only as the evidences of national inferiority in arts andarms ? The question is one Avhich no Briton can deem worthless;albeit we do not esteem ourselves the pur
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidarchaeologyp, bookyear1851
