85 



Figure 2, a large wide-spread fibula, with engraved handle, is mani- 

 festly that represented by Pocoke's Eig. 1, in the Archseologia," pi. 3, 

 and is therefore here omitted ; it weighed 1 5 oz. Fig. 3 is the small 

 fibula, 1^0. 2, pi. 3, in the same article. 



' ^^^os. 3 and 5 were found in the county of Galway; 4, 6, and 10, 

 on the borders between the counties of Louth and Meath, in digging some 

 reclaimed grounds, which were formerly boggs. 'No. 2, the largest of 

 this kind I ever saw, is composed of two oblong cups or calixes, one of 

 each side ; the outside of the cup being narrower than the inside, as you 

 see at the little draft b. The cups are hollow as far as a, the rest is 

 solid gold : at it divides into three branches, which meet and joyn at 

 d, as you see at No. 3. This instrument. No. 2, weighed 15 ounces. 

 No. 5, found with it, weight [_sic'] but one ounce 4 pennyw* : the ends, 

 instead of being hollow like the other, are flat and ovaL The others 

 Nos. 4, 6, 10, have their cups hollow to the bottom a, a, a, a, a, a, the 

 handles or rings being plain. "What uses these instruments were applied 

 to nobody can inform me; I believe they were used in the religious 

 ceremonies of the Irish Druids or other heathen priests, for I cannot 

 think they were used as ornaments. The places where they were found, 

 in grounds that were formerlj^ bogs, and which before the rain and 

 Avaters had subsided there, were probably valleys, seem to point out that 

 they were used by the Druids or pagan priests ; many of the ancient altars 

 or cromlech stones that have been discovered in this kingdom being in 

 valleys, near some rivulet, as well as on high ground. I should be glad 

 to have your opinions concerning these peices of antiquity. No. 4 I 

 bought last week for my Lord Chancelour, the others were melted 

 since. 



Fig. 7. 



' ITo. 7 is an Irish Sgian, or knife, the Seva or Secespita, I think, 

 used by the priests to kill the victims. It is of brass, and was found about 

 two years agoe at Dungan hill, in the county of Meath ; the blade at the 

 broadest part is an inch -f^ over, and one foot inches long : when 

 found it was about | of an inch longer, but was broken for a tryal, on 

 suspition of its being gold. The present handle, a, is not the original 

 one, which was destroyed by time. No. 8 was lately sent me from the 

 county of Wicklow as a great curiosity — a small patera of 

 brass, but I fear it is nothing else but a old spoon, altho it 

 has not quite the shape of it. No 9 was sent me from the 

 county of Clare ; is of brass, was formerly gilt, and is very 

 curiously enamelled ; where the black figures are is a little 

 white ground of enamel, and the little chequered squares 

 are of blew and white mosaic work of enamel. It is hollow, 

 and I suppose was the handle of an Irish Astas or spear. 

 You'l be pleased to observe that all the drafts except the knife are e:^- 



