Armstrong — Catalogue of Silver and Ecclesiastical Antiquities. 30? 



beads, of which two large and two small remain perfect; a third small one is 

 fractured. 



The crook has both its sides ornamented with curiously interlaced curved 

 patterns formed by inlaid straps of silver ; the zoomorphic cresting consisting 

 of a series of dog-like quadrupeds, commencing from a head-like ornament 

 and continuing to the front of the head; about five more of the series being 

 deficient. The front of the head is 2| inches long, having at the top a 

 grotesque human head, and under it the figure of a bishop 1§ inches long, 

 holding in his left hand a crosier, and having his right raised in bene- 

 diction. 



This crosier is a fine example of the Hiberno-Danish style, and probably 

 belongs to the eleventh or early twelfth century. It is figured R. I. A. Celtic 

 Christian G-uide, 2nd ed., Plate XV. 



8. Shaft of a very ancient crosier, supposed to be the crosier of St. 

 Columba, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Durrow, in the county Meath. 

 Purchased from Mr. Nugent. See Proceedings R. I. A., vol. v, p. 86, and the 

 account of it there. It is 3 feet 7f inches in length, 1-^ inches in diameter 

 at one end, and 1^ inches at the other, formed of timber surrounded by seven 

 portions of sheet-brass, one brazed, tube-like, and surrounded by a short 

 portion of similar tubing, the other not quite surrounding the wood; two 

 barrel-shaped rings of cast brass, one plain 2\ inches in length and greatest 

 diameter, and having a band of silver encircling its central swell, having at 

 one end four brass-headed nails, and at the other, one remaining of six, for 

 fastening it on the shaft, the other having on its surface the remains of 

 elaborate ornamentation, and being -^ of an inch less in length and diameter 

 than the plain one. The coverings of sheet brass are fastened to the timber 

 shaft, which is broken, by numerous brass nails. 



9. Upper boss of No. 8 formed of yew timber surrounded at the thick end 

 by a ring of brass If inches in length and If inches in diameter, ornamented 

 by a prominent pattern of curved interlacements formed by bands of different 

 breadths and by two circles at either end, one ornamented with chevron 

 pattern, the whole surface appearing to have been gilt. Adjoining the last por- 

 tion is a barrel-shaped rim 2\ inches long and 2f inches in greatest diameter, 

 divided by a central sunken zone into two circular compartments, each of 

 which is occupied by a series of repeated ornamental devices peculiar to itself 

 — except two portions of the upper one, to which ornaments were attached. 

 The zone is divided into four by three rectangular spaces, two of which retain 

 places for settings, and by a space ground off for attachment of some orna- 

 ment, the divisions of the zone being ornamented with gilt devices, either side 

 of which are raised portions of bands. Next above is the remaining part of a 



