IRISH GOLD
Ireland's extreme richness in gold during the Bronze Age made her
a kind of El Dorado of the western world. The gold was, no doubt,
obtained from County Wicklow, where gold was worked down to the end
of the eighteenth century, nuggets of 22, 18, 9, and 7 oz. being
recorded. One exceptionally large nugget weighing 22 oz., found in
1795 at Croghan Kinshela, Co. Wicklow, was presented to King George
III; and its discovery caused a rush to the workings. As well as
Wicklow there are six other counties where gold has been found. The
very large number of gold ornaments that have been found in Ireland is
therefore not surprising. The ancient literature of Ireland contains
many references to gold ornaments and payments of gold by weight. It
is interesting to note that the tradition preserved in the Book of
Leinster, a MS. of the twelfth century, refers the first smelting
of gold in Ireland to a district in which gold has been found in
considerable quantities in modern times. The Leinstermen, it is
stated, were called "Lagenians of the gold," because it was in their
country that gold was first discovered in Erin. It is further stated
that gold was first smelted for Tighearnmas, one of the earliest of
the Milesian kings, in the forests standing on the east side of the
River Liffey, by Iuchadan, a native of that district.
After the discovery of native gold in Ballinvally stream at Croghan in
1796, the Government undertook mining operations; and in three years
collected 944 ounces worth, at the price of the day, L3,675. Since
the workings were abandoned by the Government, the district has been
worked at intervals by companies, and at other times by the peasants;
the total output since 1795 is estimated at a value of L30,000. The
knowledge of the Irish gold deposits must have been a very
considerable factor in the foreign relations of the island in the
Bronze Age.
LUNULAE
The earliest of the Irish gold ornaments are the flat gold collars
known as lunulae. These have been found fairly evenly distributed over
the country, and in astonishing numbers.
[Illustration: Fig. 46.--Gold Lunula found at Trenta, Carrigans,
Co. Donegal.]
The circumstances under which the lunulae have been found have not
often been recorded. The collection of the Royal Irish Academy in the
National Museum, Dublin, contains no less than thirty-seven examples.
Several of these have been found and recorded during the past three or
four years. As a rule the lunulae are engraved on one face only with
finely cut or scored well-recognized Bronze Age ornament, consisting
of bands of lines, cross-hatchings, chevrons, triangles, and
lozenges.
The centres of the lunulae are plain, the exact reason of which is not
quite apparent. The ornament is gathered to the end of the lunula and
spaced out by bands. Two lunulae found together at Padstow, Cornwall,
are said to have been found with a bronze celt of early type. The find
is preserved in the Truro Museum, and is of the utmost importance as
an indication of the early Bronze-Age date of the lunulae. It is, we
believe, the only instance of lunulae being found with associated
objects.
[Illustration: Fig. 47.--Gold Lunula found in Co. Galway.]
Figures 46-49 and 51-53 illustrate the various types of ornament; it
will be noticed that some of the smaller examples are quite plain.
One lunula was found in an oak case at Newtown, Crossdoney, Co.
Cavan. The case has greatly shrunk since it was found, as when first
discovered it measured 10 inches by 8 inches (fig. 50).
[Illustration: Fig. 48.--Gold Lunula, locality not recorded.]
The two expanded pieces at the ends are always turned at right angles
to the plane of the lunula, and serve to clasp the back of the neck,
and may have been secured by a tie. It need not, however, be pointed
out that they are quite out of place in a head-ornament; indeed, the
geometrical shape of a lunula is contrary to such a theory, and quite
different from recognized diadems or head-ornaments.
[Illustration: Fig. 49.--Gold Lunula found at Killarney.]
One example found at Volognes has a chain and sort of buckle attached
at the ends. It has since been melted down, but a drawing of it has
been preserved (fig. 51). The chain seems to have been ancient--at
least it is stated to have been on it, as shown, when found; but,
however ancient it may be, it is evident that it was more recently
attached than the original make of the ornament. It is, however, of
interest as indicating at some time a chain-tie to secure the ends of
the ornament.
The accompanying list of finds shows how numerous the lunulae are in
Ireland and how rarely they have been found outside this island. The
map shows their distribution (fig. 54).
[Illustration: Fig. 50.--Oak case for Lunula found at Newtown,
Co. Cavan.]
[Illustration: Fig. 51.--Gold Lunula found at Valognes, Manche.]
Two have been found in the West Baltic at Zealand and Funen. They have
otherwise hardly penetrated beyond Brittany. One has recently (1912)
been found at Hanover, and another some time ago at Fauvillers,
Luxembourg. This failure to penetrate far beyond the coasts of England
and Brittany may point to early raids; but the copper and tin of
Cornwall, as well as the tin deposits of Brittany and the general
trade with Brittany, may indicate the early seeking of the Irish gold
deposits. We may take as a provisional date for the lunulae, 1200 to
1000 B.C.
[Illustration: Fig. 52.--Gold Lunula found in Co. Londonderry.]
Lunulae now existing or known to have formerly existed:--
IRELAND (62 at least).
--------------+---+------------------------------------------------
County. |No.| Reference.
--------------+---+------------------------------------------------
Donegal, | 2 | R.I.A. 1889: 20 (1). Trenta, Carrigans. R.I.A.
| | 1909: 6 (1). Naran.
| |
Londonderry, | 2 | R.I.A. W. 12 (1). R.I.A. (loan 1907: 7) (1).
| |
Antrim, | 3 | Dublin Penny Journal, vol. iv, p. 295.
| |
Down, | 1 | Castlereagh, Ulster Journal of Archaeology,
| | vol. ix, p. 46.
| |
Tyrone, | 3 | Trillick, R.I.A. 1884: 495 (1). Carrickmore,
| | R.I.A. 1900: 50 (1). Tartaraghan, Ulster
| | Journal of Archaeology, vol. ix, p. 47 (at Cecil,
| | Augher) (1).
| |
Mayo, | 1 | R.I.A. 1909.
| |
Sligo, | 1 | Windele's Miscellanea, p. 206.
| |
Fermanagh, | 1 | Enniskillen (Day Coll.).
| |
Monaghan, | 1 | Ballybay (Day Coll.).
| |
Galway, | 1 | R.I.A. W. 10 (Sirr Coll.).
| |
Roscommon, | 2 | Athlone, R.I.A. W. 5, and 1893: 4.
| |
Cavan, | 3 | Newtown, R.I.A. 1884: 494 (1). Bailieborough
| | (British Museum) (1). Lisanover, Bawnboy.
| | 1910: 45 (1).
| |
Westmeath, | 2 | Ross, R.I.A. 1896: 15 (1). Mullingar, 1884:
| | 7 (1).
| |
Kildare, | 4 | Dunfierth, R.I.A. W. 4, 8, 9, and 15.
| |
Clare, | 2 | Porsoon Callan, R.I.A. 1877: 52 (1). Proc.
| | R.I.A., vol. viii, p. 83 (1).
| |
Tipperary, | 1 | Glengall (British Museum).
| |
Kerry, | 5 | Banmore, R.I.A. R., 1755, 1756, 1757 (3):
| | R.I.A., Killarney, W. 2 (1). Mangerton (Brit.
| | Mus.) (1).
| |
Cork | 2 | Ballycotton (Brit. Mus.) (1), and one or perhaps
| | two in Mr. Cliborn's scrap-book in R.I.A.
In addition to the foregoing there are 16 in the collection of the
R.I.A. and 5 in the British Museum, and about 6 in private
collections, which are known to have been found in Ireland, but of
which the localities have not been recorded.
ENGLAND (4).
Cornwall, | 4 | Penzance (1), Padstow (2), Lesnewth (1) (Arch.
| | Journ., vol. xxii, 276).
WALES (1).
Carnavonshire,| 1 | Llanllyfni (British Museum).
SCOTLAND (4).
Lanarkshire, | 2 | Southside near Coulter (Anderson, vol. i, p. 223).
| |
Dumfriesshire,| 1 | Auchentaggart (Anderson, vol. i, p. 222).
| |
Elginshire, | 1 | Fochabers (Cat. Nat. Mus., Scot., p. 210).
[Illustration: Fig. 53.--Gold Lunula found at Athlone.]
FRANCE (6).
Cotes du Nord,| 1 | Saint-Potan (Reinach, Revue Celtique, 1900,
| | p. 95).
| |
Manche, | 3 | Tourlaville (1), Valognes (1) (Reinach, R. C.,
| | 1900, p. 95).
| | Montebourg (1) (Cong. Arch. de France, 1905,
| | p. 301).
| |
Vendee, | 2 | Bourneau (1), Nesmy (1) (Reinach, R. C., 1900,
| | p. 95).
BELGIUM (1).
Luxemburg, | 1 | Fauvillers (Cong. Arch. de France, 1905, p. 302).
DENMARK (2).
Zealand, | 1 | Grevinge (A. f. Anth. xix, 9).
| |
Funen, | 1 | Skogshoeierup (A. f. Anth. xix, 9).
[Illustration: Fig. 54.--Map showing the Distribution of Lunulae in
Ireland and Europe.]
GERMANY (1).
Hanover, | 1 | Schulenburg (Leine) Springe (1911).