Pi.UNKETT — Cists and Urns found at Tallagld. 3J:3 



Fig. 3. 



At the end of August, when I was not in Ireland myself, the 

 finding of another urn was reported to the Museum. The men 

 employed in the pit, on reaching it, had, according to instructions, 

 covered it over and left it un- 

 touched. Mr. Coffey, accompanied 

 by Mr. Alabaster, Mr. M'Googan 

 (our photographer), and Mr. de 

 Sales, foreman of the workshops, 

 at once went out to inspect this new 

 find. It consisted of a single urn. 

 PI. Xiy., No. 1, shows the inter- 

 ment in situ. The urn was inverted 

 on a small flagstone, with a few 

 small flagstones placed round it, to 

 keep back the earth, but no cover- 

 ing stone. The interment was 

 immediately under the surface of 

 the ground, and was in fact covered 

 only by the sod. The urn, owing 



to the absence of a covering stone, was crushed down on the burnt 

 bones, and broken into many pieces. Sufficient of the urn has been 

 restored to enable a drawing to be made, showing the form and 

 ornament (fig. 3). Its dimensions are ; height restored, 9 inches ; 

 diameter of mouth, 8 inches ; diameter of base, 3f inches. The inter- 

 ment was taken away as it stood, and has been placed in the Museum 

 in a case adjoining the cist. jS^othing was found among the burnt 

 bones except a fragment of a small bone pin or needle (fig. 4). 



A highly decorated food vessel is in the possession of Mr. Laurence 

 Dunn, of Greenhills, the owner of the sand pit. He states that it was 

 got from the same pit some years ago, as far as he remembers about 

 the time the urn in Mr. Longfield's possession was found. It is 

 in a good state, and the ornament shows much taste in treatment 

 (Plate XIII., No. 2). Its dimensions are : height, 6^ inches ; diameter 

 of mouth, 6^ inches ; diameter of base about 2 inches. 



As regards the probable date of the inter- 

 ment, my own opinion would be of little value ; 

 but Mr. G. Coffey has gone carefully into the 

 matter, and considers that the details of the urns 

 and fragments of urns from this small cemetery 

 funiish a clue from which it is reasonable to draw certain conclusions. 

 The uncremated burial found near it is a disturbing element, but we 



