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XXII. A Letter from John Gage, Esq. F.R.S., Director, to Sir Henry Ellis, K.H., F.R.S., Secretary, accompanying a Gold British Corselet exhibited to the Society, and since purchased by the Trustees of the British Museum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

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Extract

Diodorus in his account of Gaul, speaking of the ore obtained from the streams, says, that “by this means accumulating abundance of Gold, not only the women, but the men, use it for ornament; for round their wrists and arms they wear bracelets; round their necks thick collars of pure gold, and rings of great value, and even golden breast-plates.” Polybius, particularly remarks this national custom, and it is the subject of frequent allusion among the Roman authors, as in the following passage from Virgil, relating to the host of Brennus:

Aurea csesaries ollis, atque aurea vestis:

Virgatis lucent sagulis: turn lactea colla

Auro innectuntur.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1836

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References

page 422 note a “Τουτῳ δε τῳ τροπῳ σωρενοντες χρυσοῦ πλῆθος καταχρῶνται προς κοσμον, οῦ μονον ἁι γυναῖ κες, αλλα και ὁι ανδρες Περι μεν γαρ τους καρπους και τους βραχιονας ψελλια ɸοροῦσι περι δε τους αυχενας κρικοῦς παχεῖς ὁλοχρυσοῦς, και δακτυλιοῦς, ετι δε χρυσοῦς θωρακας.” Diod. Sic. Biblioth. Hist. lib. v. pl. 305. ed. Wetsten. 1746.

page 422 note b Polyb. lib. ii. c. 11.

page 422 note c Æneid. viii. 659. et vide Liv. vii. 10. Aul. Gell. ix. 13. Flor. lib. ii. c. 4; lib. iii. c. 10.

page 422 note d Dio apud Xiphil. in Ner. 176.

page 425 note e Beads of this kind, in my possession, found in a barrow in Norfolk, burning like resin, are amber, and Mr. Faraday, after the test of them, is of this opinion.—J. G.

page 429 note f Notice sur quelques objects en Or trouvés dans un tombeau a Kertsch, &c. Memoire de Mons. Raoul Rochette. Journal des Savans, Janvier 1832.

page 429 note g Archaeologia, vol. II. p. 36, plate ii.

page 429 note h Vol. III. p. 476, pl. xxxi.

page 429 note i Notice sur quelques Objets d'Antiquité d'une origine incertaine decouverts dans le departement de la Manche. Memoire de Mons. de Gerville inséré dans le volume de la Societé des Antiquaires de Normandie pour les Annés 1827 et 1828.

page 429 note k Page 476, plate xxxii.

page 430 note l Archaeologia, vol. XXIII. p. 92. Meyrick's Ancient Armour, vol. i. plate vii. fig. 15. Smith's Costume of the Ancient Britons, plate i.

page 430 note m Benlli Gawr is so styled in the fragment of a Welsh poem written by Cynddelw.

page 430 note n Mr. Fenton supposes that Bryn-yr Ellyllon was the tomb of Beli; but Mr. Aneurin Owen states that the stones which marked his grave were standing in the memory of man, and were taken by a neighbouring farmer to construct a lime-kiln; they were at a distance of ten or twelve miles from Bryn-yr Ellyllon, in Ial proper.

page 430 note o Welsh Arch. vol. i. p. 82.

page 430 note p Nennii Historia Britt. apud Gale, p. 105–106.