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Transcriber's Note: The term "halberd" and "halbert" have both been
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has been left as printed in the original text.
* * * * *
THE BRONZE AGE IN IRELAND
THE BRONZE AGE
IN IRELAND
BY
GEORGE COFFEY
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY
HONORARY FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF IRELAND
KEEPER OF IRISH ANTIQUITIES IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
AND PROFESSOR R.H.A. DUBLIN
_WITH ELEVEN PLATES AND EIGHTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS_
HODGES, FIGGIS, & CO., LIMITED,
104 GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO.,
LONDON
1913
PRINTED AT THE
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY PRESS
BY PONSONBY AND GIBBS.
PREFACE
In this book on the Bronze Age in Ireland I have collected and
collated all my work on the period. Much of it I have already
published in the "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy" and
elsewhere. I have long felt the need of a book on the Bronze Age in
Ireland, as hitherto none has appeared dealing adequately with the
archaeology of that period in this country.
Within the last few years it has been recognized that the Bronze-Age
civilization in Europe did not consist of a series of isolated
communities, each developing its own type of objects and decorations,
but that there was a community of ideas and forms extending from
Mycenae all over the European continent.
I have described the various forms of Bronze-Age implements of peace
and of war found in Ireland, and have shown how they are connected
with similar types on the continent of Europe. M. J. Dechelette, of
the Roanne Museum, one of the first authorities on the Bronze Age,
agrees with me in ascribing a Mycenaean origin to certain forms of
Bronze-Age implements.
How this Mycenaean influence penetrated to Ireland is a matter on which
there is some difference of opinion, and possibly new discoveries may
throw additional light on the problem. As I have shown both in this
and in former works, the most probable route seems to be that of the
Danube and the Elbe, and thence by way of Scandinavia to Ireland. It
is to be hoped that now--with a concentrating of Irish interests on
Irish affairs a new impetus will be given to the study of the history
of our country, and that many workers may be found in the fields of
archaeology and of all subjects connected with our past.
In my "Guide to the Celtic Antiquities of the Christian Period" I have
given the history of Irish art in the Christian period; in "New Grange
(Brugh na Boine) and other Incised Tumuli in Ireland, the influence of
Crete and the AEgean in the extreme west of Europe in early times," I
have given as much as is known of the pre-Christian period up to the
Bronze Age; and in this, my latest work, which has been much
interrupted by illness, I have endeavoured to complete the history of
ancient art in Ireland.
I have to thank the Councils of the Royal Irish Academy and of the
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland for the loan of a number of
blocks. In other cases drawings have been made direct from objects in
the National Museum by Miss E. Barnes.
The plates are from photographs taken by the photographer of the
National Museum.
In offering this book to the public I must express my gratitude to Mr.
E. C. R. Armstrong, to whom I am indebted for his unvarying kindness
and sympathy, and for much valuable assistance both in the matter and
form of the work.
GEORGE COFFEY.
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER I, 1
Introduction; Chronology of the Irish Bronze Age.
CHAPTER II, 6
Transitional Copper Period; Localities where native copper
is found in Ireland; Finds of copper celts; Moulds for
casting flat celts; List of localities where Irish copper
celts have been found; Halberds; Localities where found;
Types; Analyses; Continental examples; Probable derivation
of Irish halberds from Spain.
CHAPTER III, 23
First and later periods of the Bronze Age; Evolution of the
bronze celt; Ornamentation of bronze celts; Palstave with
double loops; Anvil and hammers; Spear-heads; Evolution
from the knife-dagger; Type derived from the rapier;
Leaf-shaped spear-heads; Spear-heads with apertures in the
blade; Moulds for casting spear-heads; Ferules for spear-butts.
CHAPTER IV, 46
Irish gold: Account of Irish gold deposits; Lunulae:
General description of; Distribution.
CHAPTER V, 56
Daggers and rapiers; Evolution of the dagger and rapier
blade; Handles of daggers and rapiers.
CHAPTER VI, 62
Gold gorgets; Gold sun-disks; Gold balls; Clare find;
Penannular rings and ring-money; Ring-money.
CHAPTER VII, 71
Leaf-shaped swords; Division of types; Absence of moulds
for casting; Bronze chapes; Winged chapes; Shields;
Circular bronze shields; Shield of wood; Leather Shield.
CHAPTER VIII, 78
Torcs; Twisted torcs; Distribution of torcs; Ribbon torcs;
Plain torcs.
CHAPTER IX, 80
Bronze-age finds; List of well-authenticated Irish finds.
CHAPTER X, 88
Bronze trumpets; Types and derivation of Irish trumpets;
Sickles; Discussion of types; Importance of, with regard to
date of agriculture; Disk-headed pins.
CHAPTER XI, 94
Bronze-age pottery; Food-vessels; Derivation of, from
Neolithic type; Cinerary urns; Incense cups.
CHAPTER XII, 101
Bronze-age ornamentation in Ireland; Discussion of the
ornamentation at New Grange; M. Dechelette's views as to
its origin compared with those of the author.
INDEX, 105
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. Page
1. Copper Halbert, Birr find, 7
2. Copper celts, Birr find, 8
3. Copper knife and awls found at Knocknague, 9
4. Copper celts, 10
5. Copper celts from Cappeen, Co. Cork, 11
6. Stone mould for casting celts, 12
7. Halbert blades, 13
8. Halbert blades, 14
9. Halbert blades, 15
10. Halbert blades, 16
11. Halberts from North Germany and Sweden, 18
12. Halberts from South and East Spain, 19
13. Rock markings, Maritime Alps, 20
14. Stone pick from the Bann, 21
15. Deer-horn pick, 21
16. Ornamented bronze celts, 24
Plate I, Irish bronze celts in the order
of their development, 24
17. Ornamented bronze celts, 25
18. Ornamented bronze celts, 26
19. Winged celt, 27
20. Winged celt, 27
21. Palstave with double loops, 27
22. Bronze anvil, 28
23. Bronze hammers, 28
24. Dagger and spear-heads, 29
25. Spear-heads, 30
26. Spear-heads, 31
27. Rapier and spear-head, 31
28. Leaf-shaped spear-heads, 32
29. Ornamented socket of spear-head, 32
30. Leaf-shaped spear-heads found at the Ford,
Belturbet, 33
31. Spear-heads with loops joining the blade, 34
32. Spear-heads, 34
33. Ornamental spear-heads, with openings in
the blade, 35
34. Portion of spear-head, with studs at the
base of the wings, 35
35. Spear-heads with openings in the blades, 36
36. Spear-heads with ornamental loops in the blades, 37
37. Spear-head found at Tempo, Co. Fermanagh, 37
38. Half of mould for casting a socketed spear-head,
Killymeddy, Co. Antrim, 38
39. Half of mould for casting a spear-head and dagger,
Killymeddy, Co. Antrim, 39
40. Mould for casting a spear-head and knife,
Killymeddy, Co. Antrim, 40
41. Moulds for casting primitive spear-heads found in
Co. Tyrone, 41
42. Moulds for casting primitive spear-heads found in
Co. Tyrone, 42
43. Half of mould for casting spear-head and dagger,
Killymeddy, Co. Antrim, 43
44. Bronze spear-ferules, 44
45. Bronze spear-ferule with La Tene ornament, 44
46. Gold lunula found at Trenta, Carrigans, Co. Donegal, 47
47. Gold lunula found in Co. Galway, 48
48. Gold lunula, 49
49. Gold lunula found at Killarney, 50
50. Oak case for lunula found at Newtown, Co. Cavan, 51
51. Gold lunula found at Valognes, Manche, 51
52. Gold lunula found in Co. Londonderry, 52
53. Gold lunula found at Athlone, 54
54. Map showing the distribution of gold lunulae in
Ireland and Europe, 55
55. Stone celt, bronze dagger with gold band, and urn,
found in Topped Mountain Cairn, Co. Fermanagh, 56
56. Dagger and rapier blades, 57
57. Dagger with horn handle found at Ballymoney,
Co. Antrim, 59
58. Rapier found in Upper Lough Erne, 59
59. Rapier found at Lissane, Co. Derry, 59
60. Rapiers and daggers found in Ireland, 61
61. Gold gorget found in Ireland, formerly in the
possession of the Earl of Charleville, 62
Plate II, Irish gold gorgets, 62
Plate III, gold sun-disks, 64
Plate IV, portion of the great Clare find, 66
62. Gold fibulae and other objects found together
at Coachford, Co. Cork, 67
Plate V, gold fibulae, 68
63. Sixteenth-century bronze casting from Benin,
showing Europeans holding manillas, 68
64. Sixteenth-century bronze casting from Benin,
showing natives holding manillas, 69
Plate VI, gold ring-money, 70
65. Leaf-shaped bronze swords found with a spear-head
at Tempo, Co. Fermanagh, 72
66. Bronze chapes, 73
67. Winged chapes, 73
68. Bronze shield found at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick, 74
69. Alder-wood shield found in Co. Leitrim, 75
70. Front and back of leather shield, found at Clonbrin,
Co. Longford, 76
Plate VII, gold torcs from Tara and elsewhere, 78
Plate VIII, gold torcs, 78
Plate IX, gold torcs from Clonmacnois and Broighter, 80
71. Two late Bronze-Age finds, 83
72. Late Bronze-Age horse-hair fabrics from Armoy,
Co. Antrim, 84
73. Bronze implements, Co. Tipperary, 85
74. Bronze implements found at Kilfeakle, Co. Tipperary, 86
Plate X, bronze trumpets, 88
75. Mould for casting a sickle, found at Killymeddy,
Co. Antrim, 89
76. Bronze sickles, 90
77. Bronze sickles, 91
78. Bronze disk, 92
79. Bronze button, 92
80. Incense cup, 94
81. Cinerary urn, 94
82. Food-vessel with cover, Danesfort, Co. Kilkenny, 95
83. Cinerary urn, Carballybeg, Co. Waterford, 96
Plate XI, food-vessels in the order of their
development, 96
84. Model of cinerary urn from Greenhills, Co. Dublin, 97
85. Cinerary urn, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, 98
* * * * *
THE BRONZE AGE IN IRELAND
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This book deals with the Bronze Age principally from the point of view
of the implements and weapons in use in Ireland during that period. It
is unnecessary to state that the materials for writing anything like a
full account of the civilization or political organization during the
Bronze Age do not exist; and even the ethnological affinities of the
dominant race that inhabited Ireland during this period are doubtful.
All that can be said is that there was apparently no gap between the
end of the Neolithic Period and the transitional Copper to Bronze
Period. Stone weapons continued in use side by side with those of
copper and bronze; and the form of the former was sometimes actually
influenced by those of the latter.
There has been so little scientific excavation in Ireland that the
question as to the early burial-customs is surrounded with difficulty;
such evidence as there is points to cremation having been practised
early, as was also the case in Great Britain. Instances show that the
two rites of inhumation and cremation were practised side by side.
In the cairn excavated on Belmore Mountain, County Fermanagh, both
burnt and unburnt interments were found with pottery and other objects
of early Bronze-Age type.[1] At a recent excavation near Naas, County
Kildare, a burnt interment was discovered in a cist, the remains being
associated with a wrist-bracer and remains of pottery.[2] In the fine
series of cairns on Carrowkeel Mountain, County Sligo, burnt and
unburnt interments were found associated with pottery, bone
implements, and stone beads.[3] At Annaghkeen, County Galway, a
cremated burial was discovered in a cist associated with pottery and a
small bronze knife-dagger and awl.[4]
[1] Proc. Royal Irish Academy, vol. xx, p. 659.
[2] Proc. Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxx, p. 351.
[3] Proc. Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxix, p. 311.
[4] Journal Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, vol. v, p. 159.
The Hon. John Abercromby gives a list of food-vessels found with
cremated burials in Ireland, and to these must be added a food-vessel
of early type found in 1912 in a quarry at Crumlin, County Dublin. It
must, however, be left for future excavations to decide many questions
to which at present no answer, or only a doubtful one, can be given.
This, however, is certain--Ireland during the Bronze Age was not
isolated, but stood in direct communication with the Continent. AEgean
and Scandinavian influences can be detected in the great tumuli of the
New Grange group[5]; and Iberian influence is discernible in some of
the later types of bronze implements. Ireland, as will be shown in the
chapters dealing directly with the gold objects, was, during the
Bronze Age, a kind of western El Dorado, owing to her great richness
in gold; Irish gold ornaments have been found both on the Continent
and in Scandinavia; while Scandinavian amber has been found in
Ireland. As will be seen on p. 81, the Bronze-Age people were
acquainted with the art of weaving; and fine ornaments of horse-hair
were sometimes used. The art of making pottery by hand was carried to
a high degree of excellence. Shaving must have been fairly common,
judging by the number of bronze razors found. We shall find evidence
further on in this work to show that corn was probably grown and
agriculture fairly advanced.
[5] "New Grange and other Incised Tumuli in Ireland," p. 62.
The great tumuli at New Grange and the lesser ones at Carrowkeel show
that the art of building was well developed, and that the religious
ideals of the people had attained a certain fixed form. What the
actual dwellings occupied by the people were we cannot say; but it is
probable that many of the promontory-forts and some at least of the
larger cashels and ring-forts date back to this period. There remain,
however, many questions which, as we have said, must be kept over for
future investigations.
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE IRISH BRONZE AGE
Some discussion as to the absolute chronology of the Bronze Age in
Ireland will, no doubt, be expected, though any attempts to give
actual dates can only be approximate; the succession of types is
really of considerably more importance than the actual date, as such
a succession enables objects, finds, and interments to be arranged
in a progressive series, and shows the general trend of advance and
culture. The doyen of prehistoric archaeology, Dr. Oscar Montelius,
of Stockholm, has been the pioneer of the study of the prehistoric
chronology of Europe, his chronology of the Bronze Age in Scandinavia
having been published as far back as 1885. Since then he has published
the results of his studies of the Bronze-Age chronologies of Greece
and Italy, and of France, Belgium, South Germany, and Switzerland.
More recently (1908) he has put forward the chronology of the British
Islands in a notable memoir published in Archaeologia. It may be
mentioned that Dr. Montelius visited Ireland some years ago, and
speaks with the greater authority as having personally examined the
actual Irish evidence.
In this memoir Dr. Montelius divides the Bronze Age of Great Britain
and Ireland into five periods, and includes in his first period the
transitional time when copper was in use (Copper Period), which he
places at from the middle of the third to the beginning of the second
millennium B.C. Now, though the division of the Irish Bronze Age into
five periods may be accepted, we should hardly care to place the first
period as early as Dr. Montelius suggests; and without going into the
question of the time at which the period commenced, we might take the
period of its ending at from about 2000-1800 B.C. In this period would
be included the flat copper celts of early form, copied from the stone
celts of the preceding Neolithic Period, some few small, flat
knife-daggers of copper, and the earliest of the halberds. Stone
implements, no doubt, remained largely in use; and the very finely
decorated hammer-axes probably belong to this period.
It is possible that gold--which, on account of its colour and
appearance on the surface of the ground, must have been one of the
metals first noticed and made use of in prehistoric times--was used
for making ornaments at this period, or possibly, as Prof. Gowland
suggests, may have been hammered into ornaments even during the
preceding Neolithic Age.[6] There is, however, no gold object in the
National Collection which we should care to place so early.
[6] Journal Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. xlii, p. 259.
The second division of the Bronze Age (the first period of the true
Bronze Age) would fall between 1800 and 1500 B.C.; and in it would be
included, as the principal types, the flat bronze celts--including
those with the edge much wider than the blade--flanged celts, small
bronze daggers, the later halberds, jet buttons with conical
perforations, and the early types of jet necklaces, and probably
the gold lunulae.
The third period might be placed at from 1500 to 1250 B.C., and the
principal types falling within it are flanged celts with stop-ridges,
tanged spear-heads, and larger dagger-blades, sometimes with bronze
handles.
The fourth period, which was long, and during which a considerable
development takes place, might be placed at from 1280 to 900 B.C.
This period includes the later type of celts with increased stop-ridge
and flanges (palstaves), and some of the earlier forms of socketed
celts, long rapiers, the earlier type of leaf-shaped swords, and the
looped and leaf-shaped spear-heads, gold torcs, and possibly some of
the bronze fibulae, and sickles without sockets; the disk-headed pins
and bronze razors may be placed either at the end of this time or the
beginning of the next period. In this period must also be placed the
building of the great tumuli of the New Grange group.
The fifth division--also a long one--would go from 900 to about 350
B.C., at which time iron weapons were probably coming into general use
in Ireland. In this period would fall the socketed celts, including
the latest type, which takes a form not uncommon among iron or steel
axes, the later bronze swords with notches below the blades, bronze
sword-chapes, the socketed sickles, probably some of the more highly
ornamented bronze spears with apertures in the blades, the bronze
trumpets, the gold fibulae, and gold gorgets. It must be remembered
that the Continental Hallstatt period is not at present well
represented in Great Britain and Ireland, and though, under Hallstatt
influence, certain Continental Iron-Age types such as bronze caldrons,
trumpets, round shields, &c., found their way into Ireland, we cannot
as yet definitely separate this period from the end of the Bronze
Age.