examination of the earliest ornaments of bronze or mixed metal, discovered in Britain, seem to corroborate the supposition that the Sophist here alluded to an art analogous to enamelling. Besides the beautiful enamelled vessel brought to light in 1835, in one of the Bartlow Hills, by the late Mr. Rokewode[1], which is apparently of Roman workmanship, and small ornaments found in several places of Roman occupation, there have been discovered in various parts of England ornaments enriched with vitrified colour, which bear no analogy to Roman works in the character of design. It is remarkable that not a few of these relics appear to have been formed to serve as decorations of harness, in accordance with the statement of the Sophist, but until some collection of our earlier antiquities shall have been formed and arranged in series, no positive assertion can be offered in regard to this curious subject. It may be well to direct the attention of those who take an interest in the enquiry, to investigate the precise nature of the opus Anglicanum, which has not hitherto been ascertained; it appears to have been a certain kind of decoration, mentioned by ancient writers as most highly esteemed, and, possibly, analogous to that produced by the barbarians of the British isles or neighbouring regions, in the third century, which called forth the commendation of Philostratus.
The term Enamel properly designates vitreous pastes, to which various colours are given by means of metallic oxides: they are either opaque or transparent, and are capable of being applied superficially to several substances, earthy or metallic, forming a decorative covering, or revêtement, as it is termed by French writers, of admirable brilliancy and durability. The rich blue and green colours which appear on the little figures of deities and on various ornaments discovered in Egypt, appear to be enamels; porcelain, pottery, and glass, have served as the ground-work to which enamel has been applied with the most attractive effect. The subject, however, of which it is now proposed to treat in detail, is the application of enamels to metallic grounds, an art which appears to have been of great antiquity[2], and very extensively practised during the middle ages.
