U8 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



ornamental crescents recalling the outline of the winged axe-heads from 

 which the socketed celts were evolved. 



The ninth find (fig. 11), acquired in 1906 witii the St. Columba's 

 College collection, includes a small gold bulla, a socketed axe-head, a 

 socketed spear-head, and two rings. All are stated to have been found 

 together in 1S40 in Kinnegoe Bog, Co. Armagh. The larger of the bronze 

 rings threads a sinall ring which moves freely round it. The spear-head is 

 leaf-shaped with a feathered edge ; its socket is pierced for a single rivet. The 

 axe-head is of ordinary tj'pe. The bidla belongs to the heart-shaped variety. 



Fig. 11. 



Guld bulla, bronze axe-head, spear-head, and rings found in Kinnegoe Bog, 

 Co. Armagh (i). 



Its front and back are plain ; its sides are decorated with a broad baud of 

 twisted gold threads beaten into the surface ; the edge of the socket being 

 also ornamented with a small band. Four heart-.=;haped bullae, including the 

 above, are preserved in the Irish Xational Museum. Another found in 

 Co. Cavan is in the possession of Mr.s. H. T. Clements.' The findiug of the 

 Kinnegoe specimen with objects of late Bronze- Age date suggests that the 

 Irish bullae belong to this period. There are, however, objections to such a 

 date, for the Etruscan and Eoman buUae, from which it is probable that the 

 Irish buUae were ultimately derived, belong to the Iron Age. The use of 

 bullae persisted to late times, one ha%'ing been discovered in the tomb of the 



- Ann strong, '" Catalogue of Irish Gold Ornaments." 1920. p. 43, and note. 



