Nos. 303-306. Golden Ornaments. Sepulchre III. Half-size.
I also found thirteen splendidly-ornamented objects of gold plate, of which one is represented under No. 305; their style of ornamentation has never been seen by me here before. At the upper extremity we see a perforation, which makes it probable that these objects have served as pendants of earrings. The gold plate (No. 306) must also have been cemented on some other object, for it shows no perforations. It represents in defective repoussé work two men, of whom the one, who is winged and has horse's-feet and appears to play the flute, stands with his right foot on the head of the other, whose arms are extended and whose feet are wide apart. Both men have two horns on the head, and those of the lower figure are particularly conspicuous. To the right of the two men, and thus to the left of the spectator, is a very strange ornament, which at first sight appears to consist of written characters, but, on closer examination, we find that it is mere ornamentation.
Nos. 307, 308. Objects of Rock Crystal. Sepulchre III. Actual size.
There was further found here the perforated ball of beautifully-polished rock crystal (No. 307), which has evidently formed part of the handle of a sceptre or some weapon, for we see in the perforation a long piece of metal which appears to be gold, but which is probably only gold-plated bronze or silver.
The object, No. 308, is also of well-polished rock crystal; it has a large mouth, and a perforation on the opposite side; the interior has a lively ornamentation painted in red and white. The use of this object is altogether a riddle to me.
There were also found two objects of bronze, of which the one appears to be a fragment and the other the handle of some weapon.
CURIOUS SCEPTRES.
I also picked up there the two objects, Nos. 309 and 310, which appear to be sceptres. The silver staff of each has been plated with gold, as we see on that part of it which sticks in the beautifully-turned knobs of rock crystal. The crystal ball of No. 309 is ornamented with small vertical furrows and quite perforated, and there are evident signs that another object, probably of gold, has been attached to its lower end; and such a piece of gold was found lying separately and is added in the engraving (a), the more so as its upper end had evidently been broken off; it is ornamented on both sides with repoussé work representing lions.