The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-24
ROMAN REMAINS.
REMARKABLE DISCOVERY IN ENG
LAND.

The following interesting description of Roman
remains just discovered in England appears in
the Liverpool Mercury
"BMDGE WORKS, Runcorn, August 29.-Gen-
tlcmen AS agent for Messrs. COchranc, Grove
& Co., the contractors for the iron work of the
bridge crossing the MeTsey at this point, beg
To hand YOU an account of a remarkable discovery
which has been made during the erection of Il
dam for the first river pier thereof and trust you
will find space in your columns, as, from its eX-
CeptiOnal-in fact, almost unpreCedcnted-naturc
it will certainly be of the highest antiquarian
interest, and may possibly be still more valuable
as giving historical information respecting a
period of which little is known, viz, that imme.
diacly succeeding the first arrival of the Saxons
in Bri ain.
"The discovery was made in the following man
nGr On the 9th instant, while sinking one of
our caissons, an obstacle was met with which de-
ned the pressure exercised by our sinking appa-
Tatus. Divers were sent down, who, on removing
n quantity OF sand from about the base of the
caisson, reported the obstruction to be large log
of wood. By help of u strong crane, and after
r,moying the pressure from the CaissOn, we were
enabled to uraw tup to the staging, and found It
TO be not a log of wood, as the divers, msled by
its general attrided state, had reported but a
large coiiin-shaped box Of great strength,
measuring about eight feet by three feet.
The wood had become impregnatcd with
oxide Of iron, from the red sandstone,
which had made IL as hard rs iron itself so that
II was with the greatest difficulty that VIC were
enabled % prise open the lid. The inside which
was roughly hCwn TO the shape of u human body,
but with large additional space at the head
was lined with a greyish bilumnous substance,
and contained the body OF man in a most Won
deTful state of preservation. 1t is attired in the
dress OF a wealthy Roman citizen, the tuuic and
toga both white, embroidered with purple and
gold threads, the toga fastened with handsome
golden iibula. The straps of the buSkius are
studded with little golden bosses. Attached TO
the girdle are a tablet and golden-hllted stylus
The tout ensemble, in fact While not glaring Is
rich and tasteful.
"The body, though in civil dress, appears to be
that of a legionary officer, as a large military
cloak is swathed round it, and by It's side are a
short sword (the famous Roman 'gladlum) with
its belt, jaycin and a yinea such as centuriOns
used to preserve discipline among their men. A
fine onyx signet ring, bearing the letters 5. z. q.
Il. and the figure of awolt, is on the finger. This
l conjecture 20 be a symbol of authority dele
gated by the Roman Senate, or the then reigning
emperor to the bearer. The sword and belt also
bear the initials S. p. Q. Il. The head Of the
vinea is shaped into rude resemblance to
| Roman eagle.
"The body has been embalmed in so skilful
| manner as TO preserve, even after this lapse of
time the features olerably distinct but Il is eX-
Cessiyey fragile, crumbling at a touch IN TACT,
il has only been preserved from total destruction
| by the mantle and by quantity of a CryptOgamic
| plant allied 10 the common equisetum, which is
| packed round it, keeping it steady and immoYa-
! bic in the coffin.
| will proceed TO mention briefly the contents of
| the space above the head of the corpse. guam
| ty of the equisetum-like herb sustains uninjured
an amphora of coarse earthenWare win yellow
| yitTeous glaze. The handles and neck are broken
| Off and inside 1t is paced-also with packing-a
! beautifully executed cinerary urn of Red Samian
| ware containing ashes, and small roll OF Yellum
| covered with characters which am unable TO de-
| cipher, but l believe to be Saxon. Sprnkled
| through the scroll however found the Roman
| name q. Sulpicus Pso,' the initials s. p. O.
! r. the words egatus, crematio, names,
! I.N H. ...IIV 1.
| imagine to hold the key Of the enigma presented
! by the many anomalous appearances have des-
| cribed and am about to describe
ORNAMENTS AND COINS.
"In the amphOra, beneath the urn, are q num-
Der of ornaments of gold and silver, such as were
worn by Saxon females Of rank among them is
| a kind of rude lOcket containing long tress of
glossy yellow hair. The ornaments appear to be
this fact, coupled with the presence of the hair,
| leads me 10 suppose the ashes contained in the
urn to be those OF the owner Of both them and
the hair.
"The amphora also contains a small packet of
coins, nearly 100 in number Of which i3 are gold
/ and OF the reigns Of the Roman emperors- Homo
rius, dating A. ID. 40, Of lladrian, Antonius,
and Seyerus, with earlier dates The remaining
coins are silver, probably Saxon, but owing 10
their mutilated and delaced condition l am un-
able 10 say positively. On one only is a date
visible yiz 400
. ornaments / am inclined TO refer the remains 20
about the date Of the first arrival of the SaNOnsiu
Britain The corpse may be that Of one of the
last emissaries Of Rome 10 this island Or rs his
tory speaks Of no political intercourse between
Rome and our island at that period, he may have
been connected with a religious, not a civil mis-
sion. The ashes l surmise to be those Of a
Saxon female But how shall we account for
the presence Of the remains OF Roman and q
Saxon in a common tomb More strange still
is the embalming of the Roman and the clema-
tion of the saxon The position Of the coffin IN
the led Of the river Is also strange but an over,
turned boat and the shifting sands may account
for this Possibly the scroll found in the urn
NAV give an explanation Of this, and till this has
been deciphered we must be content to remain in
The dark.
81 have been instructed, in case no claim il
made for the remains as treasure trove,' 10 senC
the whole in their present condition TO the British
Museum about the beginning of next week
Should, however, any gentlemen think It wortl
their while 10 call at the above address before
that time, shall be most happy to give them al
opportunity Of examining the remains before they
. leave this part Of the country.
w ''YouIs, &C., J,P. ASHTON"