28 



side, are so cut that they form a sort of continuous mortising, 

 which prevents their being drawn apart, independently of the 

 brazing. 



" The other vessel is constructed in the same way. Its 

 shape is very peculiar, and its dimensions are as follow : 



Greatest breadth, .... about 1 inch. 



„ length, 41 inches. 



„ depth, 5 „ 



" The bottom consists of one piece of metal, five and a half 

 inches long, bent, however, unequally to an angle at the great- 

 est depth of the vessel. One side of the angle measures about 

 three and a half, and the other two inches ; and the oval ends 

 of the box, to which these are attached, measure severally 

 three and four and a quarter inches. 



" The measurements of the shoes are as follow ; they may 

 be of use to. help parties to compare these with similar shoes 

 found elsewhere in Ireland : 



Length, 13^ inches in sole. 



Breadth, 4J „ 



Height of upper behind, . 21 „ „ 



Height of instep of A, . 3| „ „ 



Ditto of B 2 



" The shoes weigh as follow :— A, 9| oz., and B, 8 oz. only. 



" It has been suggested that these shoes might have been 

 originally intended for the purpose of being put on the feet 

 of deceased persons of rank ; but as we know of no body having 

 been found interred with shoes of this kind on it, we can attach 

 but little weight to this suggestion. It has also been sugges- 

 ted that they might have been intended as a measure of capa- 

 city for wheat ; but as the two shoes (A) and (B) differ mate- 

 rially in their capacity, that notion also appears not to hold 

 good either. 



" The above facts and surmises are communicated, in the 



