490 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



along the sides of the socket. In some forty to fifty examples the 

 blades are plain. The latter are, as a rule, of small size, in the nature 

 of javelin or lance points, and are frequently of inferior -workmanship. 

 In a few instances they are of the long slender form ali'eady mentioned. 

 In ten instances the blades are leaf -shaped, most of them like figure 11. 

 In four examples, with blades of lozenge form, the sockets are devoid 

 of loops or rivet-holes. The above figm-es are given approximately ; 

 it is difficult to make a satisfactory classification of the smaller and 

 not strongly-marked examples. 



/, 



uua 



(6) (7) (8) 



6.— (W. 221). One-half. 7.— One-half. 8— (W. 191). 



The examination of a large number of specimens of the looped 

 form suggested to me the probability that the looped spear-head had 

 been developed from the dagger-blade. 



This conjecture is supported by an interesting chain of evidence. 

 In figure 1 we an have example of the usual form of riveted dagger- 

 blade. In some examples the character of the blade is marked by 

 fluting ; ia others by raised ribs at each side of the central rib ; and, 

 Again, iu others, these ribs are replaced by engraved lines. 



