74

PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF Mk. Yates read an interestiniTj coinnuinication, wliicli lie had received since tlic publication of liis Memoir on the use of Bronze celts, fron Pr. C. J. Thomsen, of Copenhagen. lie had kindly sent two drawin2:s, copied in the annexed wood-cuts, which show the form of the " paalstav," now used in Iceland, and called there by that name." They are drawn one-eighth of the real size : the blade is, consequently, about 8 centimetres (rather more than three inches) broad. The larger of the two implements is r09 metre long, including its haft. The only circumstance in which it diflfeis from the ancient celt of Mr. Du Noyer's fourth class, is that, instead of being attached to the haft by thongs or cords, as IIr. Yates had supposed to have been the case anciently, in these iniploinents the bottom of the shaft is bound by an iron ring ; and tlicre seems to be no reason to doubt that a metallic ring may have been used occasionally in ancient, just as in modern times. Dr. Thomsen re- marks, that these palstaves are used to break the ice in winter, and to part the clods of earth, which, in Iceland, is dug and not ploughed. This presents a striking coincidence with the precepts of Roman writers on agriculture : "Nee minus dolabra quam vomere bubulcusutatur ;" and " Glebai dolabris dissipandie." The reader will observe in the larger of these two figures a confirmation of Mr. Yates' conjecture respecting the use of the vangila. In addition to the numerous localities mentioned in his Memoir, Dr. Thomsen has heard that palstaves have been found in ancient stone quarries in Greece. Mr. Yates exhibited also drawings of some remarkable bronze celts, preserved at Paris, in the Museums of Antiquities at the Louvre and at the Bibliotheque Xationale. They are novel types, unknown among English antiquities of this nature. Another bronze object, which he had noticed on the continent, appeared to have been intended to form the core of a mould. Mr. BiRcn communicated a memoir illustrative of an interesting fragment of basalt, portion of an ancient Egyptian calendar, in the form of a circular vase, and sculptured with hieroglyphics, amongst which occur twice the cartouches containing the name and titles of Philip Arrhida;us. This frag- ment comprises the montli Tybi, corresponding to November, with part of ' Meaning, perli.ajis, the labouring 8t:ifl', from the Icelandic verb pula, ox jntia, to la- bour. Mr. Yates has with much kindness added these curious illustrations, above given, to the valuable scries of woodcuts, previously presented by him to the Institute.