Gtarstin — Ancient Irish Crozier-head. 



263 



kindness of the Duke of Devonshire, M. R. I. A., and John Lentaigne, 

 C. P»., M. E, I. A., are now laid before the Academy. 



From the analogy of these examples, and especially the remarkable 

 form of their end, I have no hesitation in concluding that the bronze 

 held the position in a crozier which is represented in the annexed 

 -wood engraving. The unshaded portion of the wood-cut is, of course, 

 conjectural, being merely an outline similar 

 in shape to that of the Lismore crozier. 



The " square-ending" form of the crook (as 

 it may be termed), presenting to the spectator 

 a flat surface, is indicative of an early period 

 of Irish art. The ordinary, or florid, shape 

 was introduced in croziers of Irish make at 

 latest in the fifteenth centuiy. For example 

 see the engraving of the "Limerick" crozier 

 and mitre of Bishop O'Dea (a.d. 1400-34), 

 described by the Rev. Dr. !Milner in Archceo- 

 logia, vol. xyii., p. 31. The " Cashel " crozier 

 in the Petrie collection (now included in the 

 Museum of the Academy), though of the usual 

 type — as distinguished from the square-ending 

 — is not, I submit, of Irish workmanship. The 

 reasons for doubting Petrie' s conclusion re- 

 specting it could not be stated in the limits 

 of the present paper. Probably the date of 

 the example now described lies between the 

 8th and the 12th centuries. 



Though the early Irish croziers still extant 

 agree in outline, all being of the type indi- 

 cated, they all differ in details, and Mr. 

 O'Laverty's is peculiar in its ornamentation 

 and socket-like arrangement, as well as in the 

 cross figured upon it. 



As a work of art this bronze is more re- 

 markable for the design than for the manner 

 in which it is executed. There is a rudeness 

 in both which is in contrast with the finish 

 exhibited by most of the remaining examples. 

 Whether this indicates an early date or a time 

 when Irish workmanship began to decline, it 

 would not be easy to determine. 



It is -not improbable that a gem or amber 

 bead originally fitted the small circular panel 

 at the intersection of the cross, which appears 

 to have been intended as a receptacle for some 

 6uch ornament. 



VJ 



ser ir.. vol. r., poi,. lit. and antiq. 



2? 



