THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 117
arrangements for convenience and comfort beyond those which were usual at the
time."3
Some time having been spent under Dr. Laver's guidance in examining the
castle, the Rev. C. L. Acland (Hon. Curator, Essex Archaeological Society)
took the party in charge, and pointed out to them some of the more interesting
specimens in the Museum, which is now housed in the chapel of the castle. The
collections are the joint property of the Corporation of Colchester and the Essex
Archaeological Society, and deserve to be better known than they are; they are
of great interest in many departments. The museum owes its origin to the
bequest to the town by its former mayor, Mr. Henry Vint, of his fine collection
of bronzes, aided in 1861 by the purchase by the Essex Archaeological Society (and
private subscribers) of the Acton collections, subsequently by the donation of
Colchester antiquities to the Corporation by Mr. Taylor, and of a large number of
lesser presentations from time to time. The principal portion of the collection
consists of local Roman remains of almost every kind. Many of the specimens
are probably unique.4 Prehistoric antiquities of many types are well represented.
There are many very excellent local specimens of various kinds of stone imple-
ments, and also a variety of types from other parts of the world, and Mr. Acland
is constantly endeavouring to add to this department. A few small adze-shaped
tools from Burmah form part of the only collection as yet known from that country,
where the prevalence of a comparatively high native civilization of probably very
ancient date pushes back the "Stone Age" to a remote antiquity. Two or
three implements, found on the northern shores of Lake Superior, are of pure
copper, and are interesting as having, among others, led Dr. Schliemann to modify
the opinion he expressed in his work on the excavations at Troy that the imple-
ments there found by him were the only specimens in pure copper that had been
discovered. These North American axes are probably fashioned by hammering
from some of the virgin copper, which is frequently found in large masses in that
locality, and of which a very fine specimen may be seen in the Yelloly Watson
Collection of minerals in the corridor.
A small but interesting collection of antiquities from very early Peruvian grave-
mounds deserves more notice than we are able to give it. The specimens, found
in mounds of dry sand parallel with the coast, which were laid open by the
earthquake wave in 1868, are probably relics of a race that had passed out of
memory before the coming in of the Incas. The climate of that part of Peru being
3 It would be manifestly quite useless to attempt any description of this grand building within
the limits of a report of a Field Meeting. Fortunately, quite a literature exists on the subject,
and the reader may be referred to Mr. Buckler's "Colchester Castle, a Roman Building," (1876)
for an exposition of the Roman theory of the Castle, and to "The History and Antiquities of
Colchester Castle" (Colchester, 1882) for a learned statement of the Norman side of the con-
troversy and citation of authorities. Many valuable papers will also be found in the Essex
Archaeol. Society's Transactions, and in the "Archaeological Journal," while the history of the
building is well summarised in Mr. Cutt's volume on Colchester, in Freeman's "Historic Town"
series, recently published.—Ed.
4 It was long a reproach to Colchester that its antiquities were habitually sold out of the town,
and public and private museums all over the country have been enriched with the treasures of
Colonia. One of the most zealous collectors was the late Mr. William Wire. Mr. Roach Smith,
in his "Retrospections,"' thus writes of him :— "He had great perseverance and intelligence, but
he failed to find favour with the leading townspeople, and, in consequence, masses of choice anti-
quarian material were lost to science, for very many were carried to distant parts, never again
to be heard of. Some ornamented Roman leaden coffins, which, through his agency, could easily
have been secured for the museum, were melted. In his letters he ever complained of the treat-
ment he experienced, adding, that but for me and Prof. Henslow, he should have long ceased
to collect. Mr. Acton, of Grundisborough, was one of the chief purchasers of Colchester
antiquities." As above stated, the Acton collections have since been restored to the
town.—Ed.