Coffey — Spear-heads of the Bronze Age found in Ireland. 49 1 



The adaptation of the dagger-blade to the spear-head is showu in 

 figure 2. It is, in fact, a dagger-blade placed on a socket. The socket 

 does not enter the blade, but is stopped at the shoulders. The Y-shaped 

 base of the blade is derived from the dagger, and disappears as the true 

 character of the spear form is developed. A feature of special interest 

 is the survival of the rivet-heads of the dagger, in the form of orna- 

 mental bosses, at the base of the blade. This specimen is much worn. 

 The inner ribs are ornamented with a double row of dots, now nearly 

 obliterated. The rivet-holes appear to have been drilled, and not 

 formed in the casting. They are evidently a later addition, and do 

 not belong to the original form. The British Museum possesses, also 



(9) (10) (11) 



g.— One-half. io.-(W. 19), W. F. W. One-third. ii.-(W.F. W). One-third. 



from Ireland, an almost identical specimen. It is thus described by 

 Evans: — "A beautiful example from Ireland (6^ inches), the socket 

 engraved with a double ring of chevrons near the middle, and a single 

 ring near the base, and also ornamented with dotted circles and lines 

 extending down the blade, is in the British Museum. It has two 

 knobs on each side of the socket-simulating rivets" {I. c. p. 325). 



2^0 examples of this form of spear -head appear to have been found 



