of the Celtic peoples. An example very closely approaching the Newstead specimens was found, with objects typical of the close of the bronze age, in a tumulus at Louette St. Pierre, Canton de Geduine, Belgium, and may he seen in the Museum of Namur.
The Celtic Sword
It is natural to enquire whether any trace of the native sword is to be distinguished among the fragments of broken weapons. The answer is probably in the aflirmitive. One complete sword and portions of three others seem to be Celtic weapons. The first find (Plate XXXIV., Fig. 10) came from Pit LVII at the Baths. All that remained was a portion of the blade, somewhat bent and very frail, 14¾ inches in length, with part of its iron tang. At the base of the tang the sword-guard of thin bronze was still in position. On the lower edge where it joins the blade the guard is quite flat. Its upper outline describes a central curve with terminal cusps. The whole is entirely undecorated. The significance of this discovery was not appreciated until the finding of a second sword in Pit LVIII, a receptacle whose position and contents alike suggested that it belonged to the early period, probably the advance of Agricola. Besides the sword and a quantity of early pottery, it contained a number of fragmentary bronze objects, including a piece of thin brass with embossed Late Celtic ornament. The sword (Plate XXXIV., Fig. 8) had been rendered useless by bending the hilt down upon the blade. The blade measured 23 inches in length, and the tang for the hilt 5½ inches. The greatest breadth was 13⁄8 inches, tapering to 1¼ inches at a distance of 3 inches from the point. All that remained of the hilt was the small rounded knob of bronze which had constituted the pommel, and the mounting which had served as the guard. Both of these appear to have been overlaid with silver. In outline the mounting resembles the one already described. It is in its decoration that its chief interest lies. There we may recognise, though poorly executed and, indeed, somewhat debased in their character, the sinuous stems and trumpet-shaped terminals so dear to the Late Celtic metal-worker.
Sword Guards
Another guard (Plate XXXV., Fig. 11), presumably also of a Celtic sword, was taken from the same pit. It is of yellow brass, more solid than the last specimen, and without any decoration. A fourth example, also undecorated, subsequently came to light among the surface-finds. That such mountings are a typical feature of the Celtic sword can be shown from a good many British analogies. Celtic swords of this period are of rarity in Scotland, owing
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