102 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



that what Petrie had read as a C was part of the symbol ibc which is 

 placed on a small compartment of the inscription ; on my pointing this out 

 to Dr. Lawlor, he at once concurred. Professor R. A. S. Macalister subse- 

 quently examined the lettering with me, and, after working at it for a short 

 time, we were able to decipher the names of the Magi, or Three Kings, the 

 inscription reading: — 



jappac ibc melcbfear ba ibc Ibarai 



The traditional names of the Magi, commonly known as the Three Kings 

 of Cologne, are frequently found on mediaeval ornaments. As a magical 

 formula they were supposed to be of especial efficacy against the falling 

 Bickness; thoy were also used as a charm against fever.' 



The rim [II, I V. V i was composed of silver-gilt plates, apparently 



Kent at right angles, so as to cover the edges of the case. The plates 

 were joined lengthways by hinges, the longest centre-piece measuring 

 1H nun. iii length. The corners were covered by three plates placed 

 ther at right their juncture being marked by a triangular-shaped 



ornament, decorated with a trefoil. To the angles <>f this ornament were 



attached either three human, 01 three z norphic heads, and to these 



wen •! small circular settings, with headed bases, and fleurs-de-lis 

 claws, now empty, with the exceptii f one on the dexter side, which con- 

 tains the remains of a pearL Much of the early rim has perished, and its 

 ■n supplied with pitie S f brass. The upper rim on the front 

 Its centre-piece contains, in niello work, an 

 iption, in I. bardic characters, which reads: — 



JOlfS : KARBRI : aOfllOUBAnUS : s : TI6n.\aiI : PflllSIT 



ii this inscription the date of certain parts of the shrine can be ascer- 

 tained, for the death of John Ua Cairbri, successor of St. Tigernach in 

 Clt led in the Anna • ,■.'• at the year 1353. There 



can be no doubt that this is the ecclesiastic who is commemorated on the 

 i I. To the dexter Bide of the inscription is hinged a small 

 .-iher panel, in a headed frame, containing a hare at speed. A zoomorphic 



1 divides this from a similar panel, containing a running hound, with a 



jewelled eye. On the sinister a panel of the same type, but containing a 



wyvern, with a floriated tail and jewelled eye, is hinged to the inscribed 



divided by a human head from a similar panel, forming part of 



; King, Archaeologieal Journal, \\i\. pp. 233, 234 ; also see ArchauAogia, xxx, p. 400 ; 

 and Dalton, British M Hi al Finger Rings, p. 140. 



3 ii, p, 497, ind note. 



