No. 458. Ornamented Breast-cover of massive gold. Sepulchre I. Size 26:100, about.
The best preserved parts of the same body, at the southern end of the tomb, are two large bones and a small bone. On the latter, which is probably an arm-bone, is still attached a broad golden ribbon, with a splendid ornamentation of repoussé work (No. 459).
No. 459.
Small Bone, with the fragment of a splendidly ornamented Gold Ribbon. Sepulchre I. Size 3:8.
I return to the body at the northern extremity. To its right lay the two bronze swords represented under No. 460, and close to them all the other objects just as we see them in this engraving. The handle of the upper sword is of bronze, but thickly plated with gold, which is all over covered with a magnificent intaglio work of the most varied description. On the upper part of the handle, where the blade issues from it, is fastened a broad curved gold plate with splendid intaglio work, similar to that represented below (No. 462),[355] of which we only here recognise the exact use. No doubt this sword has had a wooden sheath, which must have been ornamented with the long gold plate, with a ring and much resembling the shape of a man, which we see to the right of it. This gold plate is similar to that represented under No. 369.[356] The sheath must have been further adorned with the golden button, with engraved concentric circles, which we see close to the blade. Much still richer has evidently been the ornamentation of the other bronze sword, for its wooden sheath must evidently have been adorned, in its entire length, on both sides, with a series of those large golden buttons with a magnificent intaglio work of spirals which we see below and on the right side of the sword. The sheath has evidently been also adorned with the tubular golden plate, ornamented with spirals in intaglio work, which we still see around the sword.
No. 460. Two Bronze Swords with golden handles; golden buttons belonging to the destroyed wooden sheaths; two gold plates, &c.; found lying beside a body in Sepulchre I. Size 1:3, about.
WONDERFULLY ORNAMENTED SWORDS.