Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1885 — The Boats of Gold. [ARTICLE]

The Boats of Gold.

The museum of northern antiquities in Copenhagen has just been enriched by a remarkable discovery made at a small place near Thisted, on the west coast of Jutland, Denmark. Two men digging in a gravel-pit in the neighborhood of the old burial mound, called Thor’s Mound, struck an earthen vessel with their picks, disclosing a number of gold pieces. On examination it was found that an earthen vessel about seven inches in diameter at the rim, and covered with a flat stone, had been buried about a foot and a half below the surface, and this contained about a hundred little golden boats, curiously worked, varying in size from three to four'and one-half inches. A gunwale, and frames of thin strips of bronze had first been formed, and these had been with gold plates, some of which were further ornamented with impressions of concentric rings. The boats, of which only a few are in a far state of preservation, are tapered at, both ends, and resembles the Danish craft of the present day. This discovery, which mat be regarded as a deposited treasure of votive offerings, and belongs, doubtless, to the close of the bronze age, proves that frame-built vessels were already known at thattime, and that man was not satisfied with the hollowed-out trunks of trees., The gold of which these little fishing models are composed was valued at $26, which amount, together with a gratuity, has been forwarded to. the finders, who are both poor men.

' J “How dq you pronounce s-t-i-n-g-y ?” Professor asked the young gentleman nearest the foot of the class. And the smart boy stood up and said'it depended a great deal whether the word applied to a word or a bee. "Go to the head, young fellow."