92 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Co. Antrim, and is now in Canon Greenwell's collection. The present spear- 

 head is the first complete specimen of this type that has been obtained for 

 the collection, and, as far as I am aware, this, with the one in the Greenwell 

 collection mentioned above, another slightly longer in the Belfast Museum, 

 and an imperfect specimen at present^ measuring 12 inches long in the 

 Academy's coUectiou, are the only examples of this type known. 



The two leaf-shaped swords are both in an excellent state. (Plate IX, 

 figs. 3 & 4) They belong to the same type, with notches below the hilt, and 

 are, both of the same period. The casting of the handle 

 of one of them appears to have been imperfect, and to have 

 been afterwards repaired. It has six rivet-holes on the 

 handle-plate, but had formerly eight, of which two are now 

 stopped up. It measures 24^ inches in length, and the blade 

 at its widest part measures If inches. The other sword is 

 the same length, but heavier, and is slightly wider at the 

 broadest portion of the blade. It has foiu- rivet-holes 

 |1 fi %■ \\ l^'-^t had originally seven, three of which are now stopped 



up. The handle-plates end in the usual fish-tail shape. 

 Swords of this type, with notches below the hilt, are 

 placed by Montelius in his fifth period of the Bronze Age, 

 dated from the middle of the twelfth to the end of the 

 ninth centiuy B.C. This date is perhaps somewhat too 

 earl)', and their use may have lasted on into the Heroic 

 period. 



5. Find feom Beltuebet, Co. Cavan. 



Another important find of two leaf-shaped bronze 

 spear-heads was made by Miss Eose McConnell at a place 

 called the Ford near Belturbet, Co. Cavan. These spear- 

 heads were found together, and were probably the arms 

 of a single chief or warrior. 



Both spear-heads are in a good state of preservation, 

 but were unfortimately much cleaned by the finder before 

 being sent to the Museum. The longest is 21 inches in 

 length, and the blade is 2J inches at its broadest part. 

 (Plate IX, fig. 2.) It has a rivet-hole on each side 1^ inches 

 from the base of the socket, and is the longest spear-head of this type in the 

 collection. The smaller is 12| inches long, and the blade is 2| inches broad 

 at its widest part. (Plate IX, fig. 1.) The rivet-holes are | inch from the 

 base of the socket. They belong to the same type as the spear-head from 



