The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . all the relicsof this period, found of various sizes and degrees of ornament, fromthe plain small celt of scarcely an inch and half, to those of five andsix inches long, fluted, and encircled with mouldings or cable-pattern borders, and ornamented withincised lines and embossed fig-ures on the blade. In Sir Ro-bert Sibbalds Fortes, Colonise,&c., a Scottish example of theengraved celt is figured, with itsblade decorated with the her-ring-bone pattern, in the samestyle, and perhaps with the same object as has been assumed for theorigin of the
The archaeology and prehistoric annals of Scotland . all the relicsof this period, found of various sizes and degrees of ornament, fromthe plain small celt of scarcely an inch and half, to those of five andsix inches long, fluted, and encircled with mouldings or cable-pattern borders, and ornamented withincised lines and embossed fig-ures on the blade. In Sir Ro-bert Sibbalds Fortes, Colonise,&c., a Scottish example of theengraved celt is figured, with itsblade decorated with the her-ring-bone pattern, in the samestyle, and perhaps with the same object as has been assumed for theorigin of the incised axe-blades of the period. Examples of engravedcelts are of much rarer occurrence than axe-blades, if indeed thisone is not unique.^ The use of the loop so generally attached tothe bronze celt, as well as to one class of the palstaves, has been asubject of scarcely less industrious speculation than the probable pur-pose of the implement itself The idea which has been repeatedly 1 Fortes, Colonia-, &c. 1711. III. fig. 5 et :io8 THK AlfCHAIC OR BRONZE PERIOD. suGfffested of its desiffn as a means of securincf the celt, as an ~Ois- ign axe-head, to a bent shaft, is scarcely less unsatisfactory than in theprevious class of looped palstaves. If it was used with a thong orcord, the fastening would be so readily exposed to injury, while atthe same time it so imperfectly accomplished the object in view, thatit appears altogether inconsistent with the general manifestation ofingenuity and skill in the workers in metal to conceive of them ad-hering to this clumsy device. The unique specimen found at Tad-caster, with an oval bronze ring attached to the loop, and a smallring or bead of jet upon it, so far from confirming such a theory,seems much more consistent with its use as a means of suspension orof securing a number together for convenient deportation.^ Such is an attempt to assign a consistent classification and nomen-clature to a variety of bronze implements, hith
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidarchaeologyp, bookyear1851
