28 ANTIQUE PASTE CAMED, FOUND AT

paste stands tlic Townley, " Bonus Kvcntus, or tlic youtliful Cai-acalla so coniplimenteil, a plaque eight inches square ; and otlier important specimens of the same material may be seen in the show-cases of antique glass in our National ^luseuni.

hen first discovered, the jtaste under consideration 

retained its mounting, described as being " of silver fili- gree," but so oxi<lised by the action of the salts of the earth where it had lain, as to fall to pieces immediately Mlien handled. This circumstance is to be regretted, ft>r, if preserved, this mounting would have sliown the destination of the ornament, whether for a pendant jewel or for a fibula. 13y the description "filigree" (work of which the Romans made no use) it is almost certain we ought to understand that cut and pieiccd pattei'u-work, beginning to come into f"a.sliion (for silver plate alone) in Pliny's day,** under the name so expressive of its nature, "Opus Interrasile," and which, from the reign of Severus downwards, became the geneial style of mounting for all sorts of jewels. Illustra- tions of this kind of work in (jold are common enough ; good examples are certain fine medallions* set in broad, pierced borders in the form of pcutlants, in the French Cabinet ; the massy rings of the Tarsus and Rouen treasure- troves, of the reign of Severus Alexander ; ^ and, what bears immediately upon the present question, tlie pretty ^^^/r/e d amour ring, found at Corbridge, pierced d jour with the " posy "(in Klizabcthan phrase) M'swhW zkses,' "Long life to thee, Emilia! " The silver oi'namcnts of that period, j)robably obtained by melting down the current denarii (then lai-gcly debased with lead), were caused by this pierced-work (tiiia- mentation to expose innumeralile surfaces to the destructive influences of the earth, and rapidly decomjiosed into a black, lirittle siilphuret, falling to pieces on the lightest touch. But other circumstances render it most probable that this paste in its completed state was designed as a jx'iidant for the neck. Jiy a singular coincidence, the only lazulite paste that ever came under my notice, still preserving its antique mounting

• " InlcrrailiiiiiiM aWa, (vona) vit (|iinin * ('njlun cHRrnviH ,1 very i-labonito

Iiliirirnuiii limn penli'luril." H N. xxxiii. exaiiiplo of » lin^ of Uijh kiii<l willi broml ID. " i6c<}t6 d jour" i« lliu I'runoli u|>rii work Hlioiiidirx, m'X wiili n f;ol<l term for it; ntiil l(clt<*r tlmn out- own. ijiiiimriiiN of Miixiinin, fmiiiii iit IIimi,

• rnrliciil.'irly tin-, two of rontiiiiniN, jHvir AniiiMiH K<'c. <rAntii|. v. |il. ll'J.

found in thn n.-irnn hiding plnco with thr li;,-iii( •! in An li. ■I<>nin., vii. I'.'l. colcliiatcfl " ral6n" de HmtK'n."