Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist

The British Museum holds 16 items identified as coming from Co Waterford. The majority of these (6) are assigned to the Neolithic, followed by the Early Medieval period (3). The most common object type represented are leaf arrow-heads (5), followed by possible scrapers (2). Only two material types are represented in this assemblage: Stone (9) and Metal (7). < Table of Contents Neolithic: Stone items Knockboy leaf arrow-head 19910410.146 Flint arrow-head of leaf-point shape; retouched bifacially; relatively wide (over half as wide as long); grey colour due to patination. http://britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1398748&partId=1 Knockboy transverse arrow-head 19910410.151 Flint arrow-head, transverse; made on a flake; retouched bifacially, though significantly more on one face than on opposite; backed; one edge chipped; grey colour. http://britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collec...

< Back to Table of Contents This inscribed slab of carrara marble dates to the late 6th to early 7th century and was discovered in 1920 in the Saint-Ferjus cemetery in La Tronche, Grenoble. The cemetery is only about 1km to the east of Saint-Laurent and the slab is close in date to the carving of the capitals in the Saint-Oyand crypt . Although the decoration here is incised and that of the capitals is executed in false relief, there is a similarity in the decorative choices. Here we see a two-handled vessel, or cantharus, sprouting swags of luxuriant foliage. On each side there is a bird of some description, looking over its shoulder. While the intention must have been to create a symmetrical composition, the vine on the right swoops noticeably lower than the one on the left, sufficient for a leaf to touch one of the birds. The composition, down to the noticeable lack of symmetry, are reminiscent of the 2nd century parakeet mosaic in the Musee del’Ancien Eveche . While the...

The British Museum holds 45 items identified as coming from Co Limerick. The majority of these (16) are broadly assigned to the Prehistoric period (Neolithic (?)/Bronze Age (?)/Iron Age (?)), followed by the Neolithic/Bronze Age (10). The most common object type represented are vessels (12), followed by axes (9). The material types represented in this assemblage are: Pottery (16), Metal (14), Stone (14), and Bone (1). < Table of Contents Neolithic/Bronze Age: Stone items Limerick (near) axe 18730602.167 Polished stone axe with tapering, rounded butt. http://britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1556878&partId=1 Limerick axe 20050501.328 Polished stone axe with damaged butt; one flat concavely curved side, the other side convexly curved. http://britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1570436&partId=1 Limerick; Shannon, River axe 20050501.32...