horse, the detail of the group, the plaiting of the horse's mane, the head, face, shield, helmet, etc., of the rider, and the general pose of the figure, make it a work of art of considerable merit. This little figure was found near the head of a skeleton lying in the trench described above, by which also were other ornaments, the details of which are very beautiful; they are here represented (Plate VII). The coins are all of an early date, which fixes this camp as an early settlement of the Roman conquerors and colonists. I have dwelt at some length on the subject of this Peterborough settlement, because no account of it has hitherto been published; but the limits assigned to this communication forbid my giving further details. No notice of the traces of the Roman occupation of the district would be complete without some allusion to the important engineering works for the drainage of the fens which are attributed to them. The occupation of the fens by the Romans probably occurred at a later date than their settlement in the higher country round Peterborough. We must bear in mind that they were settled in Britain as the ruling race, three times as long as the English have ruled India; and although we know that they speedily brought the whole country into subjection, their development of its resources would probably be gradual. From the fen country many interesting relics have been obtained: among others, the splendid statuette of Jupiter Martialis in the national collection in the British Museum. The Cardyke, an artificial canal which is constructed to skirt the fen above its level, running along the edge of the upland so as to intercept all the smaller streams which would otherwise run down and drown the fen with fresh water, is believed to be a Roman work. It commences immediately to the east of Peterborough, and runs to Lincoln. On the eastern and seaward border of the fens, there still remain the Roman bank, and the inner bank, constructed to prevent the high tides from the ocean from drowning the marshlands. These great works, of which we still reap the benefits, testify to the engineering skill of those who, nearly 2000 years ago, were passing through this Peterborough 62 TRACES OF ROMAN OCCUPATION IN PETERBOROUGH. settlement, to-and-fro between the flourishing and important town which I have described at Castor (Durobrivæ) and the scene of their labours-labours which have helped in the great work of reclaiming the fens, and converting them from marshy wastes into the most fertile. district of similar extent to be found in the United Kingdom. NOTE. The small equestrian statuette (Plate VI) was probably a votive offering, burned with a Roman soldier. The masks (Plate VII) were originally brazed on to the flat surface of the studs, which were a part of the soldier's accoutrements. These studs formed a part of the belt or shoulder-straps, that with two loops marking the point where two straps met, while that with three was placed at the junction of three straps, of which one came over the shoulder; another attached to the second loop passed down towards the waist, while the third, attached to the loop placed at right angles to the others, passed across the chest to a corresponding stud over the opposite breast. British Archaeological Association. FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONGRESS AT PETERBOROUGH, 1898. THURSDAY, JULY 14TH, TO WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH, WITH THURSDAY, JULY 21ST, AS AN EXTRA DAY. PRESIDENT. THE RIGHT REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF PETERBOROUGH. VICE-PRESIDENTS. THE DUKE OF NORFOLK, K.G., EARL MARSHAL. THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND. K.G. THE EARL OF MOUNT-EDGCUMBE, D.C.L. THE EARL OF NORTHBROOK, G.C.S.I. THE LORD MOSTYN. THE RIGHT REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF SIR CHAS. H. ROUSE BOUGHton, Bart. SIR ALBERT WOODS, K.C. M.G., F.S.A. W. DE GRAY BIRCH, ESQ., LL.D., F.S. A. C. H. COMPTON, ESQ. WILLIAM H. COPE, Esq., F.S.A. H. SYER CUMING, ESQ., F.S. A. SCOT. COLONEL GEO. LAMBERT, F.S.A. J. S PHENÉ, Esq., LL.D., F.S.A., B. WINSTONE, Esq., M.D. THE LORD DE RAMSEY. THE MAYOR OF PETERBorough. THE HON. AILWYN FELLOWES, M.P. J. M. HEATHCOTE, ESQ., J.P. T. J. WALKER, ESQ., M.D. With power to add to their number. LOCAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Chairman-THE VERY REV. THE DEAN OF PETERBORough. THE LADY MARY GLYN. MRS. ALDERSON. MRS. ARGLES. MISS ARGLES. MRS. CLAYTON, MRS. GATES. MRS. MANSEL. MRS. TERROTT. THE DEAN OF STAMFORD. THE VERY REV. DEAN SWANN. BARON DE LUSSON. REV. CANON ALDERSON. J. H. BEEBY, Esq. REV. R. BLACK. W. BOYER, Esq. REV. E. H. BROWN. REV. F. BUTTANSHAW. C. H. W. BUTTERFIELD, Esq. REV. CANON CLAYTON. REV. L. L. COOPER. REV. C. DoWMAN. S. EGAR, ESQ. C. EVERARD, Esq. REV. T. P. FLOOD. REV. S. G. FORREST. L. B. WOODFORDE, ESQ. Hon. Local Secretaries-J. W. BODGER, ESQ., C. DACK, Esq. Hon. Treasurer-THOMAS BLASHILL, ESQ. Vice-Treasurer-S. RAYSON, Esq., 32, Sackville Street, Piccadilly, W. Hon. Secretaries— GEORGE PATRICK, ESQ., A.R.I.B. A., 16, Red Lion Square, W.C. REV. H. J. DUKINFIELD ASTLEY, M. A., East Rudham, Swaffham, Norfolk. Auditors-CECIL DAVIS, Esq. and T. CATO WORSFOLD, Esq., F. R. Hist. S. |