ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS AS an integral part of East Anglia the region now called Norfolk might fairly be expected to exhibit traces of occupa- tion by the race that eventually stamped its name on southern Britain. Local antiquities are indeed fairly numerous, and from an early date have received attention of a sort ; but so far as early Anglian history is concerned the material already accumulated is unsatis- factory in two different ways. First it must be realized that it is only in quite recent years that the characteristics distinguishing the relics of the Roman period in Britain from those of the Teutonic races who over- ran the empire have been adequately understood. In the eighteenth century and for some time later it was the fashion to attribute all remains of antiquity to our Roman conquerors, and this bias towards the classical has greatly impaired the evidential value of many discoveries of which nothing now remains but a faulty or misleading account. In this more scientific age our still imperfect knowledge is enhanced in value by ample facilities for illustration, which will in future witness against any false conclusions that may be drawn from the matter now in hand. Such conclusions are avowedly tentative, but archaeology is now in a position to correct some views that once found much favour in the highest quarters. Peter le Neve, who was Norroy King at Arms, presi- dent of the Society of Antiquaries in the days of Queen Anne and George I. and ' one of the most eminent preservers of our antiquities,' thought some Anglian urns from Elmham to be more probably Roman than British ; while his colleague Dr. Stukeley, the secretary of the Society and himself no mean observer of antiquity, told us more about the urns by sketching them. Little wonder that lesser men in later days have obscured the evidence of many a discovery by trusting more to the pen than to the pencil ; and if more can now be done towards clearing up the history of our pagan ancestors, the reason must be sought in the greater facilities for reference and comparison afforded by the principal collections in the country. The second drawback to our inquiry results from the inseparable accidents of cremation. The subject that called forth the wit and learn- ing of Sir Thomas Browne still awaits adequate treatment ; but further discoveries and careful records can alone avail to discriminate the earliest English settlers of this country on the basis of their arms, their orna- 325
