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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
By the kindness of Miss Gurney of North Repps, in Norfolk, I am permitted to lay before your Lordship and the Society a jewel or ornament, (Plate VII. fig. 1.) composed of an ancient cast from a gold coin of the Emperor Mauricius, set into gold of rough workmanship, with a ring or loop at top to suspend it by, and bits of red glass or stones, let in, in a double row on that side which bears the obverse of the coin, forming a border to it. To these rather a rich appearance is given by bits of stamped gold being placed under each.
page 64 note a Eckhel, in the eighth volume of his “Doctrina Numorum Veterum,” p. 521, has a learned episode “De inscriptione CONOB.” This word occurs upon Roman coins in three forms—most generally as CONOB; in a few instances COMOB; and in two or three upon the coins of Anthemius, and upon one of his wife Euphemia, it is written CORNOB.
CONOB is first seen upon the coins of Valentinian I. A.D. 364 to 375, and continued to Leo I. Isaurus, A.D. 717 to 741. Antonius Augustus, Eckhel tells us, explains it as CONstantinopolitanum Obryzum (idem quod purissimum). Ducange, Ortelius, Occo, and Tristan, read CONstantinopoli moneta OBsignata. Morell and Rinck agree in the latter explanation. Johert would read CONstantinopolis Officina II. Taking the B in OB to be a numeral. Then Eckhel says, “Mitto conjecturas aliorum alias, sed plane infirmas.” All however consider CON as Constantinopoli.
It may be interesting to note that on April 2, 1761, Mr. Duane presented to the Society of Antiquaries engravings of some medals in his possession. These representations are inserted in the Minute Book, vol. viii. p. 318. One of these was a gold piece, set in a hoop, with a loop or ring on one side for suspension, as in the case of Miss Gurney's ornament. Duane read the legend AVITVS AV, and stated that Avitus was declared emperor in Gaul, A.D. 455; he resigned, and became Bishop of Placentia. On the reverse appears in the exergue the letters CONOB. This was found in a barrow, in 1758, on Bloodmore Hill, near Pakefield, Suffolk, suspended with a similar ornament set with an onyx, apparently an antique intaglio, about the neck of a skeleton therein interred.
page 66 note a Other Ornaments, similar in general appearance, but without Coins imbedded in their area, and larger in diameter, are occasionally noticed by the Northern antiquaries. Such are those engraved in Scheffer's Dissertation “de Orbibus tribus Aureis nuper in Scania erutis;” 12°. Holm. 1675. They had been found the year before, with some swords and other military weapons, by a husbandman at Wææ, near Christianstadt. The device of each, in the centre, consisted of a head of disproportioned size to a small animal, apparently of the deer kind, upon which it was resting. Various ornamental circles surrounding them. See also Christian Dettler Rhode's “Cimbrisch Hollsteinische Antiquitaten Remarques.”
Sjöberg, in his Collections for Lovers of Northern Antiquity, “Samlingar for Nordens Fornälskare,” 3 torn. 4to. Stockh. 1822–30, vol. ii. pl. XLVIL, XLVIII., fig. 156, 157, and p. 187 of his text, gives a pendent ornament of silver, found in Schonen, the southern peninsula of Sweden, in 1729, with a Coin imbedded in the centre. It is 2⅛ inches in diameter. It was found, together with some coins and silver work, in an urn. The imbedded coin, however, is so unintelligible in itself, or so unintelligibly represented, that nothing can be made either of the head or the inscription which surrounds it. Sjöberg thought he could read the words Alexiu Autokra … upon it. The reverse was of Byzantine appearance. He thought it Persian.
page 67 note a Cufic.
page 68 note a It is now deposited there.