passed to the Museum of Antiquities. The circumstances of its discovery had been entirely forgotten until they were brought to light again through the instrumentality of Dr. John Alexander Smith.[1] From the illustration in Plate XVII., Fig. 1, it will be seen that the dedication reads
CAMPESTR(IBVS) · SACRVM · AEL(IVS) · MARCVS · DEC(VRIO) · ALAE · AVG(VSTAE) · VOCONTIO(RVM) · V(OTVM) · S(OLVIT) · L(IBENS) · L(VBENS) · M(ERITO).
Sacred to the Campestres. Aelius Marcus, Decurion of the Ala Augusta of the Vocontii, willingly gladly deservedly has performed his vow.
Altar to Silvanus
2. According to Dr. Smith's report[2] a second altar—dedicated to Silvanus—was found on 15th January, 1830, in digging a drain, about three feet below the surface, in a field immediately to the south of the Red Abbeystead. The exact spot is indicated in a diary of the late Mr. George Burnet, now in the possession of his son, Mr. F. Burnet, Leaderfoot, as having been sixty yards south-east of the south-east corner of the Red Abbeystead field. This would point to very much the same place as that in which the altars Nos. 4 and 5 were discovered. This altar was for many years preserved at Drygrange. It is now at Ross Priory, Dumbartonshire, in the possession of Sir Alexander Leith Buchanan, Bart. Its height 'is 43 inches, breadth 18 inches, and thickness 12 inches. It is formed of a block of yellowish sandstone with an ogee moulding round its base. The moulding is continued round three of its sides, leaving the altar as usual plain on the back.'[3] Dr. Smith renders the name of the dedicator as CARRIUS DOMITIANUS. Obviously, however, it should be read G. ARRIUS DOMITIANUS. The inscription runs thus:
|
DEO · SILVA · NO · PRO · SA LVTE · SVA · ET SVORVM · G · AR RIVS · DOMITI ANVS > LEG · XX V · V · V · S · L · L · M |
DEO · SILVANO · PRO · SALVTE · SVA · ET · SVORVM · G(AIVS) · ARRIVB · DOMITIANVS · C(ENTVRIO) · LEG(IONIS) · XX · V(ALERIAE) · V(ICTRICIS) · V(OTVM) · S(OLVIT) · L(IBENS) · L(VBENS) · M(ERITO). To the God Silvanus. For his safety and that of his household Gaius Arrius Domitianus Centurion of the Twentieth Legion Valeria Victrix willingly gladly deservedly has performed his vow. |
3. The altar dedicated to Jupiter, found on 14th September, 1905, at a depth of twelve feet below the surface in Pit No. I—the well of the
1 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. i p. 30.
2 Ibid. p. 29.
3 Ibid. vol. i. p. 28. An illustration is given in plate i, of the volume.
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