Co Westmeath: Archaeological Objects at The British Museum
The British Museum
holds 100 items identified as coming from Co Westmeath, along with a further
three assigned to either Galway or Westmeath. The majority of these (76) are
assigned to the Early Medieval period, followed by the Bronze Age (9) and Late Bronze
Age (4). The most common object type represented are given as tool/implement (40),
followed by possible pins (10). Only three material types are represented in
this assemblage: Metal (46), Bone (45), and Stone (12).
Neolithic/Bronze Age: Stone items
Westmeath
axe
18510717.100
Polished stone axe; one
side convexly curved, one concavely causing pointed butt to appear bent.
Westmeath
pebble; macehead
20050501.360
Stone macehead or
perforated pebble, roundish shape, rough surface, some wear/damage,
orange/brown in colour.
Westmeath
axe
20050501.333
Blade end of polished
stone axe.
Bronze Age: Metal items
Westmeath
adze
19211206.300
Copper alloy palstave
adze; cast.
Westmeath
pin
19211206.310
Copper alloy disc
headed pin with pimple in centre of head.
Westmeath
fitting
19211206.350
Copper alloy fitting.
Westmeath
mace
18630122.780
Copper alloy socketed
macehead, damaged.
Athlone, [S] Bog (near)
sword
18630122.116
Copper alloy sword. The
terminal end has been cast on. One of the projections of the terminal has been
broken off.
Athlone
sickle
18621209.300
Copper alloy socketed
sickle.
Athlone (near)
spear-head
WG.1632
Copper alloy socketed
spearhead, pegged.
Ballymore
socketed axe
WG.1575
Copper alloy socketed
axe; cast. Oval mouth with bevelled, projecting rim and a channel beneath. Body
cross-section hexagonal. Cutting edge expanded. Casting seam prominent on one
side. Short haft rib.
Rathowen
socketed axe
WG.1570
Copper alloy socketed
axe; cast, decorated. Outwardly bevelled rim which projects outwards to form a
ridge. Single ridge at the base of the neck. Six ribs on each face; the three
haft ribs extend almost to the mouth.
Early Bronze Age: Metal items
Westmeath
flat axe
18730210.500
Copper-alloy flat axe;
with thin, angular butt. Sides splay widely in the lower half to form a wide,
slightly rounded cutting-edge. The object has patches of brown patina.
Ballinderry Lough
flat axe
18510717.400
Copper-alloy flat axe;
with a thin, narrow, slightly rounded butt which has been hammered vertically.
Sides are roughly parallel to each other in upper half, then swing out gently
in lower half to form a rounded cutting-edge.
Middle Bronze Age: Metal item
Athlone (near)
bracelet
18390426.900
Gold bracelet or 'tress
ring'. The penannular bracelet is grooved with a smooth surface on the inside.
The edges are thicker.
1400BC-1100BC (circa)
Late Bronze Age: Metal items
Athlone (near)
ring
WG.29
Gold small penannular
plain ring. The solid body is circular in cross-section. The ring has parallel
squared flat endings facing each other.
1150BC-750BC (circa)
Athlone
sleeve fastener
WG.27
Gold sleeve fastener.
The crescent-shaped body is decorated with longitudinal incised grooves on the
outer surface.
1150BC-750BC (circa)
Athlone
flat axe
WG.1523
Copper-alloy flat axe;
with a thin, narrow, slightly rounded butt. Sides gently spaly to create a
narrow, rounded cutting-edge. The entire object is covered with brown patina.
Mullingar, From peat
bog (Near Mulligar)
dress fastener
19210621.100
Gold dress fastener.
Hollow D-shaped ornament with a broad curving form ending in very large
circular expanded terminals. The terminals are decorated with three incised
lines on the inside of the mouth opening.
1000BC-750BC (circa)
Iron Age: Metal items
Mullingar
harness-fitting
19130715.100
Cast copper alloy
Y-shaped harness-fitting, The two upper terminals are flattened and perforated,
perhaps to allow suspension. The single lower terminal is bent outwards at a
right angle.
300 BC - 100 AD (circa)
Killucan
horse bridle-bit
19021219.100
Copper alloy
bridle-bit. Complete. Irish type, with solid-cast side-links in profile,
sharply bowed on the underside.
100 BC - AD 100 (circa)
Early Medieval: Bone items
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.680
Bone implement,
sub-triangular, notched edge and rectangular panel at top with incised line
border; circle around central hole.
5thC-11thC
 |
| Group of artefacts from Ballinderry Lough |
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.640
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge and grooved border around hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.660
Bone implement of a
strip pointed both ends and centrally perforated.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.700
Bone implement, roughly
semi-circular, projections at base and two incised circles around central hole
on both sides.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.620
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge and incised line border around hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.630
Bone implement,
triangular with incised line border around hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.710
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge, incised line across base and two holes, a circle
around the lower, on both sides.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.670
Bone implement of a
pointed strip with notched edge and circular hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.650
Bone implement,
irregular pentagon with notched edge and incised circle around central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.690
Bone implement,
sub-triangular with central hole; notched edge and two incised circles on one
side, just two circles on other.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
pin
18540714.470
Bone pin with
perforated wedge-shaped head incised with a circle.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.490
Bone implement,
sub-rectangular with notched edge and incised circle around hole at one end.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
pin
18540714.450
Bone pin with
sub-triangular head.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.500
Bone implement,
sub-rectangular with notched edge and incised circle around hole at one end.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
pin
18540714.460
Bone pin with
perforated oval head.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
pin
18540714.440
Bone pin with
perforated sub-triangular head.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.480
Bone implement,
octagonal with notched edge and two incised circles around hole at one end.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.870
Bone implement,
sub-triangular with notched edge and five holes, two inside two incised
circles, on both sides.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.830
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge, incised line border; three holes inside incised
circles, on both sides.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.850
Bone implement, rectangular
with notched edge and tongue-shaped end separated by groove, one hole in
former, two in latter.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.820
Bone implement,
rectangular with one wavelike edge and central hole inside three incised circles.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.860
Bone implement,
semi-circular with notched edge and three holes.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.840
Bone implement,
rectangular with sub-triangular ends, notched edge and three holes, each within
incised circle; also two incised lines across each end.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
bead (?)
18540714.880
Bone, small (?)bead.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.590
Bone implement,
trapezoidal with notched edge and central hole; one corner damaged.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.550
Bone implement,
lozenge-shaped with notched edge and two incised circles around central hole;
same decoration on back.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.530
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and incised circle border around central hole;
one edge broken.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.610
Bone implement,
lozenge-shaped with notched border and central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.570
Bone implement,
rectangular, plain with with central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.540
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and incised border; two incised circles around
central hole; similar on back.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.580
Bone implement, square
with notched edge and central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.560
Bone implement,
sub-rectangular with central hole; one side with notched edge and two lines,
other with two incised circles around hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.600
Bone implement,
trapezoidal with notched edge and incised border around central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.520
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and incised circles around central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.760
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and two holes, one inside one incised circle, the
other inside two.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.720
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge and two holes, the lower inside two cross-scored
circles, the upper inside one.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.800
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge, incised border and two holes, one inside two
circles, on one side; no circles on back.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.780
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and two holes, the central one inside two incised
circles.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.740
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and two holes.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.750
Bone implement, rectangular
with notched edge and two holes, one inside three incised circles.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.790
Bone implement,
rectangular with incised border, notched edge and two holes, each within
incised circle on both sides.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough, lake-bed;
Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.770
Bone implement,
rectangular with notched edge and two holes, a grooved border around each;
incised border.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.730
Bone implement,
triangular with notched edge and two holes, U-shaped indentation in centre of
base.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.810
Bone implement,
figure-of-eight shape with notched edge and two holes.
5thC-11thC
Early Medieval: Metal items
Westmeath
pseudo-penannular
brooch
19211206.440
Left half of a copper
alloy pseudo-penannular brooch, broken off before the apex of the hoop and
beyond the terminal bridge.
8thC(late)
Killucan, peat-bog
(near)
penannular brooch
19060210.400
Leaded bronze
penannular brooch. The brooch is cast in low relief with a plain, almost flat,
hoop and subrectangular terminals edged by an openwork border of now indistinct
interlacing animal ornament.
8thC(late)-9thC
Athlone, River Shanon
latchet
18540714.960
Leaded copper alloy
latchet with plain circular head-plate linked by an s-shaped shank to a flat
terminal hook. Two substantial coils of copper alloy wire sit on alternate
curves of the shank and were used to attach the latchet to clothing.
6thC
Westmeath
pin
19211206.400
Gun metal spiral-headed
pin; top of shank of square section between mouldings, main part of circular
section.
7thC (?)
Westmeath
hand-pin
19211206.380
Bronze hand-pin with
three projecting "fingers" above plain semi-circular head; oval
section shank.
4thC-6thC
Westmeath
penannular brooch
19211206.430
Bronze penannular
brooch; expanded terminals and spiral ornament in fields once ?enamelled;
series of close vertical lines on head.
6thC-7thC
Westmeath
ringed pin; ring brooch
19211206.420
Bronze ring brooch;
plain hoop with spiral ends under which are four knobs; pin hooked over
hinge-bar; oval section shank.
9thC (?)
Westmeath
pseudo-penannular
brooch
18880719.107
Silver
pseudo-penannular brooch; plain hoop; expanded terminals each with four groups
of raised dots and linked by bar; pin present.
9thC
Athlone (near)
pin
18680709.350
Copper alloy
spiral-headed pin, head formed from split shank with curved terminals
(missing); shank of oval section with mouldings.
7thC
Killucan, crannog
(near)
ringed pin
19060210.300
Copper alloy ringed
pin; biconical ring with brambled surface; pin hooked over bar, plain flattened
head and oval section shank.
9thC-10thC
Killacan (?)
penannular brooch
19021219.200
Heavily leaded bronze
penannular brooch; plain hoop and animal head terminal with triangular
settings. Pin of oval section with flat head.
5thC-6thC
Athlone (near)
harp
18680709.480
Copper alloy harp peg,
perforated at the bottom, circular section shank widening towards head of
quatrefoil shape incised with cross.
8thC-11thC (?)
Athlone
harp
18680709.470
Copper alloy harp peg,
perforated at the bottom, circular section shank widening towards head of
square section decorated in relief.
8thC-11thC (?)
Athlone (near)
ringed pin; ring
brooch; pseudo-penannular brooch
18680709.230
Copper alloy
pseudo-penannular brooch, ringed pin or ring brooch; hoop with linked expanding
terminals; pin-head hooked over ring.
8thC-9thC
Athlone (near)
ringed pin
18680709.310
Copper alloy ringed pin
with moulded projection on plain ring; pin-head flattened and hooked for
attachment; shank of oval section.
9thC-10thC
Athlone
ringed pin; ring
brooch; pseudo-penannular brooch
18680709.260
Copper alloy
pseudo-penannular brooch, ringed pin or ring brooch; hoop with linked bird's
head terminals; pin-head hooked for attachment.
5thC-6thC
Athlone (near)
ringed pin; ring
brooch; pseudo-penannular brooch
18680709.320
Copper alloy ringed
pin, ring brooch or penannular brooch; terminals with settings, green glass in
two; pin-head flattened and hooked.
8thC-9thC
Athlone (near)
ringed pin
18680709.280
High zinc bronze
spiral-ringed pin; pin-head hooked over simple spiral ring.
7thC-8thC
Athlone
ringed pin
18680709.330
Copper alloy ringed
pin; polyhedral pin-head with traces of brambling; shank of circular section.
11thC-12thC
Mullingar
penannular brooch
19130715.400
Bronze penannular
brooch; plain hoop & undecorated expanding terminals; cylindrical pin-head.
6thC-7thC
Moate
ringed pin; ring
brooch; pseudo-penannular brooch
18880719.111
Copper alloy pin with
penannular ringed head and triskele terminals, each with triquetra (once inlaid
with enamel?); amber setting at join between pin and hoop.
8thC-9thC
Early Medieval: Stone items
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone (?);
tool/implement
18540714.102
Stone implement or
whetstone, triangular with hole inside two concentric grooves.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone (?);
tool/implement (?)
18540714.103
Stone implement or
whetstone, oval with two circles around hole one end on both sides; grooved
border and lines on just one side.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone
18540714.107
Whetstone, elongated
oval, hole at one end inside grooved border.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone
18540714.105
Whetstone, elongated
oval, hole at one end.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone
18540714.106
Whetstone, elongated
oval, hole at one end inside grooved border; grooved edge.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone (?);
tool/implement (?)
18540714.104
Stone implement or
whetstone, sub-triangular with central hole inside two incised circles on both
sides; a groove above.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
spindle-whorl
18540714.340
Stone spindle-whorl
with notched edge, two concentric grooves around central hole.
5thC-11thC
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
whetstone
18930618.400
Whetstone; elongated
oval with hole at one end encircled by a groove; sides marked with short
transverse cuts.
5thC-11thC
Viking; Early Medieval: Metal items
Athlone
armlet
18970323.100
Silver armlet composed
of two strands of twisted wire.
9thC-10thC
Athlone
armlet
18970323.900
Silver armlet composed
of two strands of twisted wire; now in two pieces.
9thC-10thC
Medieval: Stone item
Chloran
sculpture; figure
WITT.258
Exhibitionist figure or
'Sheela-na-gig', carved on the front of a rectangular block, the head
proportionately large with staring eyes and the mouth open to show teeth.
12thC
Unknown: Bone item
Ballinderry Lough,
lake-bed; Moate (near)
tool/implement
18540714.510
Bone implement; flat
plate; hole in top; edges notched; rectangular.
Unknown: Metal items
Westmeath
screw
18680709.500
Screw-fitting; bronze;
long stem; globular head with flange and short thread at opposite end; collar above.
Kilbeggan Abbey
key
18540714.348
Iron key; huge; oval
bow, small projection within; long stem ending in spike; symmetrical pierced
bit on both sides of stem.
The following items are
listed in the museum catalogue as coming from either Westmeath or Galway:
Early Medieval: Metal items
Galway/Athlone?
pin
18680709.460
Leaded bronze pin with
moulded 'bead and reel' ribbed decoration on head.
5thC-11thC
Galway/Athlone?
pin
18680709.440
Leaded bronze
mushroom-headed pin, with ribbed conical head; shank of rectangular section
with lines of punched decoration.
5thC-10thC
Galway/Athlone?
pin
18680709.450
Gun metal polyhedral
headed pin; shank of square section, transverse ribbed moulding below.
9thC-10thC
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