314 Mr. J. W. Mallet's Report on the Chemical Examination of Antiquities 



Of this metal I analyzed eight specimens, viz. : 



No. 1. Fragments of one of the twisted " torques," supposed, I believe, to 

 have been worn round the neck (Museum mark, 513 d). It consisted of a strip 

 of thin plate gold, twisted so as to form a spiral, this being then bent into a 

 circle, and the ends turned into two small hooks, by which the torque was 

 clasped. The ornament had been broken up by the finder into pieces of about 

 two inches long, but when entire its circle must have been ten inches in dia- 

 meter. The part examined consisted of the two end hooks. The colour of 

 the gold was a pale, rather sickly, yellow, and its specific gravity was 15 -3 7 7. 



No. 2. Fragment of a torque similar to No. 1, and most probably found 

 along with it, in the county of Sligo; but the locality of neither is certain. Mu- 

 seum mark, 516 d. This specimen, which was of a rather deeper yellow colour 

 than the last, was from the middle of the torque. Its specific gravity, 15'444. 



No. 3. Part of a twist of wires of about a tenth of an inch in diameter each, 

 the whole length of the twist, which is straight, being about six inches. 

 Locality unknown. This may have formed part of a bracelet, but there is no 

 second specimen in the Academy Museum, and from its workmanship it does 

 not seem likely to be by any means of so ancient a date as the majority of these 

 gold ornaments. The colour was a very deep rich gold yellow, and the 

 specific gravity, 18'593. 



No. 4. Two fragments of a lunette-shaped ornament, made of very thin gold 

 plate, and having a little pattern round each edge. The whole must have 

 measured ten or twelve inches across, and the greatest breadth of the flat plate 

 itself was about two inches. It was probably a neck gorget, or ornament for 

 the head, similar to many others preserved in the Museum of the Academy. 

 The locality of the specimen is unknown. It is of about the same colour as 

 standard gold, and of specific gravity, 17-528. 



No. 5 was a small plate or spatula of gold, about an inch and a half long, 

 and a quarter of an inch wide. It was probably unmanufactured gold, not 

 intended for any special use in its present form. It is not known where it 

 was found. The colour was a little lighter tlian that of No. 4, and specific 

 gravity, 17-332. 



No. 6. Fragment of very thin plate gold, which formed part of a boss or 

 convex ornament, about four inches in diameter, very like those wliich cover 



