DISCOVERED IN HERTFORDSHIRE. 253

stone hollowed out. The latter was found 3 feet under the surface, and contamed two glass vases, one with handles ; between them lay a pair of leather shoes, ornamented with a cut hexagonal pattern, and gold wire, apparently of Byzan- tine workmanship. Round it were found traces of red Roman ware, and portions of a wooden box^. These disco- veries were made close to the Watling-street Road, at the station, conjectured to be Vagniaca?. In October, 1794, a square cist was found at Ashby Puero- rum, Lincolnshire, of which an account was communicated to the Society of Antiquaries by Sir Joseph Banks'". The lid lay three feet below the surface ; it fitted the sides neatly, and projected slightly over their edges. This cist was formed of the freestone which is found in abundance on Lincoln heath : it was squared and dressed with much care and pre- cision ; and measured externally IGin. square, and (S^in. high; the cavity within measured 12 in. every way. It contained an elegant vase of strong greenish-coloured glass, well manu- factured : its dimensions were, height, 7 in. ; diameter of the widest part, 7 in. ; diameter of the mouth, 4 in. This vessel was nearly filled with fragments of burned bones, and ^ amongst them were portions of a small ^-"^^^^ '^^^'^ unguent vase of very thin glass. No highway is known to have passed near the spot ; the nearest Roman station is Horncastle, (Banovallum, according to Stukeley,) about five miles distant. A coffin of rectangular shape, with a skeleton, and three glass vessels, of different shapes, standing in it, was also found near St. Alban's ' ; and another with red Roman Avare, and a skeleton, was found in a crypt at York'. In 17G5 a glass vase, similar to the one found at Harpenden, but without any handle, was discovered at King's Mead, about half a mile from Cirencester, wrapped in lead, and deposited in a stone hollowed out to receive it"^. The Harpenden cist contained five vases; in the centre was placed a prgefericulum, formed of pale green-coloured glass, and of a shape not pecidiarly adapted to the purpose of inter- « Archaeol., vol. xiv. PI. xxxviii. figs. 1, ' Archa?o]., vol. xvii. p. 336. 2, and PI. xxxix. p. 222, PI. vii. p. 37. viii. ' Ibid., xvi. p. 340. fi<r. 1. k Lysons in Arcli., vol. x. p. 131, PI. ix. Archspologia, vol. xii. p. 9(5. PI. x. fig. 1.