Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (281 page)

A type of middle Bronze Age pottery found widely in southern England and forming part of the range of vessels within the
DEVEREL–RIMBURY
tradition. Characterized by a flat base, expanded body, and vertical neck, globular urns are generally large and made from fairly coarse fabrics. Decoration is usually confined to the upper body and neck and is typically incised or made with impressed cord. Some examples have lugs or applied decoration at the junction between the body and the neck.

 
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A carved figure, character, or picture, incised, painted, or in relief. The system of picture writing is known as hieroglyphics.

 
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A hardy short-haired mammal with horns and in the male a beard (Capra). The bezoar of the mountains of southwest Asia (Capra hircus aegagrus) was the wild ancestor of the domestic goat, early examples of which have been found dating from the 8th millennium
bc
in the Near East. See also
SHEEP
.

 
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A poem composed in north Britain in the early 7th century, celebrating an unsuccessful attempt to drive out the English from Northumbria.

 
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A yellow malleable ductile high-density metallic element (Au) that is resistant to chemical reaction. It was the most highly prized metal used in antiquity and, along with copper, was one of the earliest to be worked.

 
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A piece of armour for protecting the throat region.

 
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In Greek mythology the Gorgons are three monstrous sisters, Stheno , Euryale , and Medusa . Of these only Medusa is mortal and she was killed by Perseus with the help of Athena . They are commonly depicted with rotund faces and snakes for hair, sometimes bearded and with wings. Their staring eyes were said to turn men into stone, and hence gorgon faces in art evidently acquired an apotropaic significance.