Figs. [331] and [333] are Frankish urns obtained by the Abbé Cochet from Londinières in Normandy, and show at a glance the identity of the Frankish pottery with the Germanic as well as with the Anglo-Saxon. The first of these is surrounded with a row of the well-known bosses, which are equally characteristic of the three divisions of this Teutonic pottery, Anglo-Saxon, Frankish, and Alemannic. Above these bosses is an ornament identical with that of the East Anglian urn with the sepulchral inscription, given on [fig. 327]. The urn represented in [fig. 331] has an ornament which is evidently an imitation of the egg-and-tongue ornament so common on the Roman pottery. The Abbé Cochet collected in the course of his excavations in Normandy several hundreds of these Frankish urns, which all present the same general character.
The next four examples are earthen vessels found in the lacustrine habitations of Switzerland, of which so much has been written during the last few years. Figs. [335], [336], and [337], are taken from the plates illustrative of the communications of Dr. Ferdinand Keller to the Transactions of the Antiquarian Society of Zurich, and [fig. 338], also from the Zurich Transactions, and found in a Pfahlbau, near Allensbach on the Untersee, on the borders of Switzerland and Germany. A single glance will show a great similarity of form with those of the Anglo-Saxons from our own country.
Fig. 339.
Fig. 340.
The following engravings will exhibit a striking variety of cinerary urns of the Anglo-Saxon period, from the Mercian cemetery at King’s Newton. [Fig. 339] is six and a quarter inches in height. It is ornamented with encircling bands or lines and impressed ornaments. In the upper band is a series of small circular indentations, with a dot in the centre of each, and in the lower band are three rows of dots. Between these bands is a series of indented crosses, which may be described as in some degree approaching to crosses patée in form. At the bottom are also small square indentations, with diagonal lines. [Fig. 342] is seven inches in height. It is ornamented with encircling lines, the central band bearing a double row of dots; the band at the bottom of the neck a series of small indented quatre-foil flowers; and the lower one a series of square indentations with diagonal lines. [Fig. 341] is one of the most elaborately ornamented urns which has ever been discovered.[51] The remainder of the examples vary from these and from each other, in point both of form and decoration. Some of these have herring-bone lines, others simple punctures, and others, again, encircling lines only. The marked features of the pottery of this period is the frequency of small punctured or impressed ornaments, which are introduced along with the lines or bands, with very good effect. These ornaments were evidently produced by the end of a stick, cut and notched across in different directions, so as to produce crosses and other patterns, and by twisted slips of metal, etc. In the annexed woodcut I have endeavoured to show two of the notched stick “punches,” such as I have reason to believe were used for pressing into the soft clay, and also two of the impressed patterns produced by it.
Figs. 335.
