23 



the utmost importance, for up to the present the Ogham letter 

 has been regarded as early Christian, while its occurrence here 

 would lead to the belief that it was clearly Pagan. 



With regard to the several subjects fouud by Mr. Conwell in 

 the various cists, I sball mention but one. I allude to leaf- 

 shaped flakes of bone formed of slices taken from the large bones 

 of animals, on some of which was delicately engraved that pecu- 

 liar grouping of parabolic leaves known to Irish antiquaries as 

 the trumpet ornament — a pattern which, once seen, can never be 

 • forgotten or mistaken. 



In the collection of the Eoyal Irish Academy there are the 

 remains of several circular bronze dishes of the most exquisite 

 workmanship, ornamented by repousee work of this pattern — 

 each dish having a central hollow or cup. 



The late Mr. Kemble, the well-known antiquary and Saxon 

 scholar, informed me that this trumpet ornament was essentially 

 Irish, and that it is never found on the Celtic bronzes discovered 

 on the Continent, and he pronounces the design to be true opus 

 Mihemicum. How interesting to find this very ornament so 

 local, and yet so well known in its character on bone flakes from 

 the cists of these Pagan burial chambers. 



What are we to suppose from its occurrence amongst these 

 remains ? Is it that the fabrication of the most exquisite bronze 

 paterae and fibulas is due to the builders of these rude pyramids, 

 and that the use of bone, stone, and flint with unbaked pottery 

 synchronised with that of this metal ? Were the chisels used in 

 carving the stones of these rude sepulchral chambers formed of 

 bronze ? It may be so ; and the discovery of this peculiar orna- 

 ment on the bone flakes buried in these rude rock chambers may 

 aid in determining this interesting and yet undecided point in 

 archaeological research. 



The lecturer concluded by these remarks : — " Such is the brief 

 outline of one of the most interesting discoveries in the field of 

 pre-historic Celtic research made in Ireland during the present 

 century ; and I regret to say, that in the course of a few succeed- 

 ing years maoy of the marvellous remains of our pre-historic 

 races, who peopled Ireland at a time long prior to the birth of 

 our earliest traditions, will find their Nemesis from their neglect; 

 and frail sheets of paper, which feebly record, either as a sketch 



