306 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



6. This object, also described as a " Patina, Brass/' is similar to Xo. 5. 

 It was purchased from Mr. Murray. 



7. Ancient ornamental crosier belonging to the Abbots of Clonmacnois 

 (No. 75, Sirr's Catalogue, p. 25). This elaborately and beautifully ornamented 

 article stands 3 feet '2\ inches in height, and is 1 \ inches in diameter of the main 

 shaft ; a length of 2f- inches of the lower part consists of a spike, and frustum 

 of a cone, separated by a projecting convex band, above which for a length of 

 2J inches is an ornamental barrel-shaped portion about If inches in diameter 

 at top and bottom, and If inches in the centre, wliere it is surrounded by an 

 inlaid band divided into four compartments by sunken-headed knobs, which 

 evidently had each a blue bead inserted in it similar to two which may be 

 seen on the corresponding barrel-shaped portion below the crook of the 

 crosier. From near each of the four proceed pairs of narrow bands towards 

 the top and bottom ; these with the top and bottom bands divide the surface 

 into sixteen triangular compartments, fourteen of which retain various 

 interlaced patterns executed on brass inserted in each compartment, no two 

 being of precisely the same design. Xext above appears the main shaft of the 

 crosier, in length 2 feet 2| inches, but appearing to extend into and be 

 enclosed by the foregoing and its corresponding upper ornament, as of course 

 the ring of quadrupedal figures. The shaft is of timber (perhaps yew) sur- 

 rounded outside by thin sheet-brass with a coating of leather between both. 

 Around the shaft's centre is placed a band If inches in greatest diameter and 

 3| inches in greatest length, having its surface inlaid with patterns of silver 

 and niello in curved grooves, forming by their interlacements and intersection 

 three crosses at the swell, and entwined knottings at the end of the ornament, 

 through which the shaft has been passed into this. Surmounting and en- 

 circling the head of the shaft is a ring 1-j-^ inches in length, ornamented by 

 four grotesque quadrupedal figures having bird-like claws in place of feet, 

 their quarters are adorned with scroll-like indentations, their necks and sides 

 by carved ones ; their tails are formed each into a triangular knotted emblem, 

 and terminate in pairs above two heads like those of the figures — one of them 

 retaining a blue inlaid bead such as had been used for all the eyes — two 

 beads remaining in like manner in two of the grotesque quadruped heads of 

 the eight originally inserted. 



Xext above is the second barrel-shaped portion, referred to before when 

 describing that near the bottom, being 3 inches long, If inches in diameter in 

 the centre, and li inches at top, and divided as the lower one into sixteen 

 triangular compartments, thirteen of which retain the inserted bosses with 

 interlaced patterns, each of which is in all probability different from any other 

 on either of the two portions. There are the same number of knobs for holding 



