A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE
In south Lancashire there must be mentioned also two finds of such coins, both from sites of earlier Roman fortresses. The one is a styca of Eanred reported from Ribchester;[1] and the other consists of nine sceattas found c. 1820, in digging foundations for St. Matthew's Church, Campfield, Manchester.[2]
Ornaments, etc.
Though belonging to a defensive weapon, the bronze boss of a shield shown on the accompanying plate may appropriately open the list of decorative remains of the Anglo-Saxon period. Archaeologists see in its design certain Celtic elements, and its decoration might be assigned by some to late Celtic rather than Scandinavian art. Even the snake-motive which it embodies is to be found, as Prof. Ridgway shows,[3] on objects of the late Bronze and early Iron Age in Britain. This object is in the City Public Museum at Liverpool, and is described as coming from Ribchester, the site of the well-known fortress of Roman times called Bremetennacum upon the Ribble. It is a small object of about 3 inches in diameter, and well worthy of close study. It comprises six concentric rings, separated by plain circles, with a broader plain band about all. The outer ring consists of continuous triple spirals in relief, alternating with an open knotwork pattern, being separated at the quarters by a transverse band. The next ring, which lies on the slope, is symmetrically divided into four quarters by portions of circles forming ovoid enclosures filled with snake pattern of graceful form, and the intervening spaces filled alternately with knotwork and spiraloid patterns of symmetrical design. A fillet with radiating lines leads to the outer ring of the central boss, which is decorated with open knots or plaits, sinuous but symmetrical. Two fillets, one plain and one ornamented as before, enclose the centrepiece, which is a geometrical rosette of seven petals.
The silver cup found on Halton Moor contained, in addition to the coins of Canute previously described, a silver torque which had been squeezed into the vessel. Both these silver objects are highly decorative and instructive. The cup weighed just over 10 ounces; the metal was described[4] as being of silver alloyed with copper in the proportion of about three of the former to one. It appeared to have been originally gilt, some of the gold still remaining, which was of remarkably pale colour. 'The ornaments consist of four circular compartments, separated from each other by branches which terminate in the heads of animals in the arabesque style. In the compartments are a panther and a butting bull alternately. These ornaments are included within two handsome borders, which encircle the cup in parallel lines.'
The torque is equally of interest. It is a characteristic example of wirework, twisted and plaited, with the ends beaten together for a double-hooked connexion. The face of this portion, which is flattened, was decorated with small triangular pieces fixed by imitation rivets. It was of good silver weighing 6 ounces 6 pennyweights.
With the same deposit were some gold pieces, or thin laminae, struck on one side only, and rudely representing a human head. Similar pieces have
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