Ancient Celtic Ecclesiastical Bell. By J. A. Smith 185 



form a somewhat square-sided figure, becoming gradually wider 

 towards its open extremity. The over-lapping sides of the bell 

 have then been joined together on each side by three large flat- 

 headed naUs, well riveted inside the bell. A rounded handle of 

 thinner iron plate, with its edges curved upwards so as to form 

 a deep groove above, and bent into a flat curved outline, had 

 then been strongly fixed in the line of the greatest diameter of 

 the top of the bell ; its extremities piercing to the inside, where 

 they have been strongly riveted, and stUl project considerably 

 inside the top of the bell. The bell had then apparently been 

 dipped into melted bronze so as to cover its whole surface, as 

 portions of the bronze coating still remain on most parts of the 

 bell, both outside and inside ; and traces of it are seen also on 

 the flat tops of the large headed nails on its sides. Nothing now 

 remains to show how the tongue or clapper of the bell had been 

 originally fixed; probably it may have been fastened in some 

 way to the ends of the handle projecting inside the top of the 

 beU. 



Ancient Celtic Ecclesiastical Bell now in the Museum, Kelso ; 

 (13 inches in height). 



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