Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/313

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GILLINGHAM SPECIMENS.
285

the Saxon shape. It is of the same size as the Hod Hill shoe, but has more breadth of iron.

fig. 106

The border is not undulated, and the nailholes, though large, are square; there is no socket for the nail-head. One side, which has no calkin, has four nail-holes; and the other side, which has a calkin formed exactly like the Roman and Gaulish specimens by doubling over the extremity of the branch, has only three. The iron appears to be remarkably good and fibrous, and much resembles that of the Saxon weapons made of that metal.

fig. 107

The other shoe (fig. 107) is almost identically the same so far as regards size, but it is apparently of more recent date than the other, though still very primitive. It has two calkins raised at the extremities of the branches, and these, though very low and thin, are formed as in modern times. Wide at the toe and sides, it is very narrow and light towards the heels, has four square nail-holes on one side, and three on the other. Both specimens are very light, slightly concave to the foot, and convex to the ground surface, and would fit a horse about thirteen or