Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/338

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

2Si PKOCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF for a bead an inch l«>iiir. Of course the lengtli of the bead bored by sucli a drill could U'>t exceed double the length of the drilling })art, even I'liiit drill and siw, fouiKl near Wliitby. if the holes were drilled from oj)posite sides of the jet ; and this renders it clear that the longest jet ornaments must have been bored by some other means.-' Mr. Urcaves next produced a flint-saw, with peculiarly small teeth (sec woodcut). This clearl}- was made for some very fine work, and it may have l)cen n.scd for cutting jet into rectangular pieces like those found at Holyhead,' or into pieces intended to be made into beads. (Jn a trial Mr. (ireavcs has since found that this saw cuts jet very rea<lily. 'i'he oidy ditiiculty that occurs with such a saw is that, as it gets thicker from the edge, it is necessary to cut a slice of jet out in the same way as in sawing green wood a slice is cut out to set free the working of the saw. The dark part of the flint-saw is the natural surf ice of the flint ; each of the .sides has been made by striking oft' one flake, and the back not shown has been made by striking oft' a single broad flake. Tiic blows have been struck at the top. Mr. Cjreaves also produced u flat cii'cular Hint, whirh hail lieen Lrrotind to a veiy Hmooth edge for about half its circumference, from A along by A to A. It has been regulaily diipped en both sides into its present slmpc, and the chips ju'O as smooth as if they had been rei;u]arly polivihed. In the centre therc is a natural flaw in the flint, which looks like hard eaith, sunounded by llint (^ee woodcut). This seems to have been intendetl to be licld in Uw. hand with the ground edge outwards.'- Anothcr flint produced was .about two iiu-hes long, au<l nearly circular nt tmc end, Ijut gradually reduced by grincling to a sharp semicircular edge at the other end. I'ossilily it may have been used as a wedge. 'I'hrcc beads, called ])ruid beads, or snake stones, wtro produced. Two of them had evidently been formed by twisting or turning the material of which they were made whil.st it was in a pliable slate into their pre- sent siiaj)e, and then vitrifying them, 'i'he third was very remarkable.

  • .'^••c Anil. Journ., vol. xxv. LOii;

KvatiHH " Ancicut Htono ImpIfincntM," ' Arcli. Joiirn. vol. xxiv. 2.'i7. • See KvaiiH'a A. S. I.,ch. xiii.