96 ON THE AGE OF 



By comparison of the sculptures on the pin. or needle, 

 fig. 1, with those on the medal it will be seen that the fish- 

 scale curves, bow-like ornaments, on the two are alike 

 and, so far as may be determined from the tracings, made 

 in the same manner by means of similar instruments. Each 

 excavation has the same remotely sub-crescentic outline, 

 apparently made by a tool, having a point formed by the 

 meeting of three planes, not held perfectly erect, laterally, 

 but inclined toward the side of the groove having the long- 

 est slope. One side of the furrow, the nearer to the inner 

 edge, has a steeper descent than the other. In a trans- 

 verse section of one of these grooves the side nearer the 

 inner edge approaches a vertical while the other side is 

 indicated by a much longer and less abrupt incline. It 

 is evident the execution in each case is what mistfit be 



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expected from workmen using similar tools and methods 

 and, in connection with the designs, it points toward a 

 fashion prevalent at a particular period. The subjoined 

 letter throws light on the probable time when it prevailed. 

 In my description of the medal the outlines of the cen- 

 tral portion were said to make a flower-like figure. It was 

 not intended by this to say that it had been designed to 

 represent a flower. The resemblance may be wholly ac- 

 cidental, resulting from the employment of the semi-cir- 

 cular curves and the straight lines in producing one of the 

 many and varied forms of the "sun symbol," or "sun ci'O8S." 

 Some of the forms taken on by these latter are shown in 

 figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the plate, copied from articles in the 

 January and February, 1889, numbers of the Century 

 Magazine, by Mr. Charles de Kay oil Pagan Ireland. 

 Fig. 4 is from the upper stone of a quern, hand mill ; 

 the dotted line marks the cracks and the x the holes through 

 the stone. It is to be noted that there are fourteen 

 small spaces outlined in a circle near the centre. The 



