The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-31 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.

At a meeting of this society, held last evening, at
their rooms at Somerset Houce, after the exhibition
of several articles of interest, a subject of considerable
historical importance was brought under discussion.
On a former occasion a paper was read by Mr. Wick •
ham Millie, M.P., on certain nails of unusual
magnitude found near Canterbury, and in immediate
contact with human remains. It was stated by the
workmen under whose inspection the skeletons were
exhumed, that the scapula or shoulder blade of
one skeleton was pierced by a nail, which was found
in situ. Other nails of the same size were discovered
near the bones of the lower extremities, and they
were altogether five in number. Upon this an hypo-
thesis has been raised that the skeletons are those of
malefactors, lataacntogrsst,
fwbhnot
pexpiatedu tphaeni r
tchrei me
reass,
sa.s
Ewxa
cnu nt
o amn a
ception to this was taken, on the ground that no written
evidence of any such practice amongst the Romans
when in this country now exists. Mr. Hallam was of
opinion that the absence of such evidence could not be
taken as decisive of the question, because tehretphsueenvfiiensrhdal,
j
ment of crucifixion, if common, would not be noticed
by historians as in any way remarkable.
gentlemen, however, amongst whom were hir. Wright
andng of 1‘
1 similar
nll
itloa arc h
nailsS tmitnh ,
localities, adduced
examples
at
n Pul under of
circum-
stances, which left no doubt that they were used in the
process of cremation. The question, therefore, before
the Whitsuntide vacation stood thus; but last night Mr
Martin read a further note, in answer to inquiries made
at the former meeting relative to the trustworthiness
of the workman who was the informant as to the po-
sition of the nail in the shoulder of the skeleton. He
was now said to be a person whose statement ought
to be taken with perfect confidence. This does not
seem to alter the principal point of inquiry ; for al-
lowing, which is much to be doubted, that the bones
were those of crucified persons, is there any evidence,
direct or indirect, to show that malefactors were
buried, as these seem to have been, with; honour,
woodbeen
usedthat
d a
near or in ground used for ordinary sepulture ? No
r et
eh crossul wassfa found,
ra sthe
evidence nor
goes,
remains
haveof
for any such purpose. The bones and nails were
found on the site of a Roman burial ground, and in
connexion with such urns as are used for the deposit
onece
of the incinerated dust
process of cremation. Theof bodies submitted to the
historical interest, but it rests on je
ecvtidisen
altogetheror great
historical
too weak for the establishment of the point
,con-
tended for.
A very valuable and curious fibula of gold, and of
a form extremely rare, discovered in the north of
Scotland, was exhibited to the society. It was an-
nounced that the gentleman in whose possession this
valuable relic now remains declined to give his name,
in consequence of the disgraceful and arbitrary
custom of seizing every relic of antiquity that private
enterprise exhumes from bogs or wastes. Several
instances in which the Government officers had
interfered were laid before the society, and a
proposition was made to the effect that the society,
as a body, should memorialise the Government pray-
ing for the removal of an influence which operated
so prejudicially upon the advance of antiquarian
science and historical fact. It was understood that
an immediate effort with this object was to be made
by the society, which, it must be confessed, as far as
the promotion of its specific duties are concerned, has
inali
for too long a time continued in s state of reprehen-
sible inertnessproabnadbiliitny .will discussed at a future
This is a question
which
meeting.

The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol has given
6001. to the three small livings of Horsley, Oienhall, and
Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, towards the erection of pareenast
hourg,—.Batle Chronicle,