218 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
from both surfaces, as the point of junction does not always correspond, 
and there is often left a ridge perceptible about midway, the borings 
diminishing in width towards the point of meeting. 
I leave altogether out of discussion those numerous examples 
of polished stone implements, resembling hammers and double- 
headed axes, with expanded terminations, so abundant on the Con- 
tinent, and of which a few examples are contained in our British 
collections, for the only polished weapons of stone bearing relation 
with mine are the " battle-axes " of Sir "W. Wilde. It must be borne 
in mind that all forms of polished stone, with artistic-shaped outlines 
and patterns on them, are of comparatively late age. They are found 
associated with urn burials, and the use of bronze implements (such 
as the celt found with this stone), and probably continued to be made 
until such time as iron weapons were coming into general use. In 
Mr. Anderson's list of his specimens one was found made of polished 
greenstone in a stone circle at Critchie, along with a series of inter- 
ments of Eronze Age ; another, with a cremated interment, enclosed 
in an urn. 
When it became obvious that this new form of stone weapon 
could not be considered a battle-axe, I wished to ascertain whether 
any description contained in our early Irish records would throw 
light on its probable use. To those unacquainted with the Irish 
language, the Lectures of O'Curry on the " Manners and Customs of 
the ancient Irish" are invaluable for such an investigation. He has 
treated at considerable length on these different kinds of weapons, 
and brought together from early manuscripts such descriptions as 
enable us to form tolerably correct opinions of their various forms. I 
believe if we refer to these poems that the accounts before us of a 
stone implement called the champion handstone, Leacan Laoich Milidh 
and Lia Lamha Laich, will closely tally with this object. 
He says that all the evidence within his reach demonstrates " that 
it was not an ordinary chance stone which a man can pick up any- 
where, but a stone of a particular shape, and to be used, not for 
chance or random shots, but for a precise aim, and for some important 
object" (p. 278, vol. ii,). Its poetic description is that it is "aflat 
stone, a stone that will kill, a narrow stone, a thick thin stone, a 
choice weapon for success, a stone that will cut over well-secm'ed 
shields, a stone that will spring over waves without stooping or 
curving." It is "a valuable stone, a precious stone, an accurate 
stone." Again, in the " Dinseanchas " we have the champion hand- 
stone of the hero Finn MacCumhail, and its history, related in 
