Mr. Petrie on. the Domnach-Airgid. 16 



In its present state this ancient remain appears to have been equally designed 

 as a shrine for the preservation of relics and of a book ; but the latter was pro- 

 bably its sole original use. Its form is that of an oblong box, nine inches by 

 seven, and five inches in height. 



This box is composed of three distinct covers, of which the first, or inner one, 

 is of wood — yew ; the second, or middle one, of copper, plated with silver ; and 

 the third, or outer one, of silver, plated with gold. 



In the comparative ages of these several covers, there is obviously a great 

 difference. The first may probably be coeval with the manuscript which it was 

 intended to preserve ; the second, in the style of its scroll, or interlaced, ornament, 

 indicates a period between the sixth and twelfth centuries ; while the figures in 

 relief, the ornaments, and the letters on the third, or outer cover, leave no doubt 

 of its being the work of the fourteenth century. 



This last, or external cover, is of great interest, as a specimen of the skill and 

 taste in art of its time in Ireland, and also for the highly finished representa- 

 tions of ancient costume which it preserves. The ornaments on the top consist 

 chiefly of a large figure of the Saviour in alto relievo in the centre, and eleven 

 figures of saints in basso relievo on each side, in four oblong compartments. At 

 the head of the Saviour there is a representation of the dove, or Holy Ghost, 

 enamelled in gold ; and over this a small square reliquary, covered with a 

 crystal, and which probably contains a supposed piece of the true cross. Imme- 

 diately over this again is a shield, on which the implements of the passion 

 are emblazoned in blue and red paste ; and above this there is another square re- 

 liquary, similarly covered with crystal, but of smaller size. The smaller figures 

 in relief are, in the first compartment, the Irish saints — Columb, Brigid, and 

 Patrick; in the second, the apostles James, Peter, and Paul; in the third, 

 the Archangel Michael and the Virgin and Child ; and in the fourth, a bishop 

 presenting a cumdach, or cover, to an ecclesiastic — a device which has evidently 

 an historical relation to the reliquary itself, and which shall be noticed here- 

 after. There is a third figure in this compartment which I am unable to explain. 



It should be observed, that these figures have been arranged by a person 

 recently employed to repair the case, in a different order from their original one, 

 as here given on the authority of one of a set of drawings of this reliquary, 

 previously made, with which I have been favored by my friend Sir W. Betham. 



