Co Galway: Archaeological Objects at The British Museum
The British Museum
holds 47 items identified as coming from Co Galway. A further three are listed
as from either Galway or Westmeath, along with one each either from Galway or
Fermanagh or Mayo. The majority of these (26) are assigned to the Bronze Age,
followed by the Early Medieval period (8) and the Iron Age (6). The most common
object type represented are rings (16), followed by pins (6) and socketed axes
(4). Only three material types are represented in this assemblage: Metal (45), Stone
(6) and Bone (1).
Neolithic/Bronze Age: Stone Items
Galway, Tumulus
axe
18540714.890
Polished stone axe ;
broken
Galway
axe
St.131.a
Polished stone axe;
flat butt; chipped blade.
Bronze Age: Metal Items
Galway
spear-head
19641201.830
Copper alloy spear-head
tip
Galway
spear-head
18620521.100
Copper alloy socketed
spear-head, pegged. In two pieces, joined by wood in socket.
Galway
socketed axe
18730602.170
Copper alloy socketed
axe; cast, loop damaged.
Galway
dirk
WG.1603
Copper alloy dirk, two
rivets in situ.
Galway
socketed axe
18750401.240
Copper alloy socketed
axe; cast. Mouth is circular and damaged, rim projects and curves back into the
body.
Tuam (near)
socketed axe
18660627.780
Copper alloy socketed
axe; cast. Oval mouth, rim rounded at top but is damaged.
Athenry
shield
18880719.100
Well preserved small
sheet-bronze shield of round shape, doomed and beaten out of a single disc.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.108
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.109
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.110
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.111
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.112
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.113
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.114
Copper alloy ring.
350 BC - 250 BC (circa)
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.115
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.116
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.117
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.118
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.119
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.120
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.121
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.122
Copper alloy ring.
Ballynakill
ring
18540714.123
Copper alloy ring.
Moore
socketed axe
WG.1584
Copper alloy socketed
axe. Body cross-section hexagonal. Mouth slightly bevelled and flared, ridge at
base of neck. Three haft ribs extend to the rim.
Meelick; Shannon, River
sword
18540714.281
Copper alloy sword. The
tang appears to have been cast on. It has one rivet-hole and unperforated
depressions for two more.
Iron Age: Metal Items
Galway (near ?)
horse bridle-bit
18680709.130
Copper alloy horse-bit,
two fragments.
Galway (near ?)
horse bridle-bit
18530528.300
Three fragments from
bronze horse-bit.
Galway (near ?)
horse bridle-bit
18680709.120
Copper alloy horse-bit,
two fragments.
Galway (near ?)
harness-fitting
18530528.500
Copper alloy Y-shaped
harness-fitting. The two upper terminals are heavily corroded. The one
remaining terminal terminates in a hollow bulbous knob.
300 BC - 100 AD (circa)
Galway (near ?)
harness-fitting
18530528.400
Copper alloy Y-shaped
harness-fitting. The two upper terminals are heavily corroded. The one
remaining terminal terminates in a hollow bulbous knob.
300 BC - 100 AD (circa)
Athenry
chape
18680709.300
Cast copper alloy
openwork chape. Straight bridge at back, plain apart from a tiny 'nipple'
projecting inwardly at each corner.
Early Medieval: Metal items
Galway
pin
18680709.430
Copper alloy pin with
remains of hooked head; shank of oval section.
5thC-11thC
Galway
pin
18680709.420
Brass pin with T-shaped
head of flat section; shank of oval section.
10thC-11thC
Galway
pin
18680709.410
Leaded gun metal mushroom-headed
pin with sub-biconical head, decorated with incised vertical lines; shank of
oval section.
5thC-10thC
Loughrea Lake
ringed pin
18680709.290
Copper alloy
ring-headed pin; ring transversely incised.
9thC-10thC
Clonfert
penannular brooch
18680709.200
Leaded bronze
penannular brooch with ribbed hoop; terminals of opposed animal heads with
setting; plain pin-head, oval section pin, now separated.
5thC
Viking; Early Medieval: Metal item
Galway
penannular brooch;
bossed penannular brooch
18690301.100
Silver bossed
penannular brooch, each terminal with five bosses and incised animal interlace
decoration. Pin separate.
9thC-10thC
Medieval; Early Medieval: Bone item
Aran Islands
counter
18620301.900
Bone counter with three
concentric double-incised circles intersected by five semi-circles forming
central circle.
11thC-13thC
Medieval: Metal items
Galway
finger-ring
AF.1822
Finger-ring; gold;
slender hoop and oval bezel, both of rough workmanship; the bezel is set with a
cabochon amethyst.
13thC-14thC
Athenry
shrine; figure
18800802.135
Cast copper alloy
ecclesiastical figure from a shrine, wearing a cloak and girdle and holding a
book to his chest; elongated; traces of gilding.
12thC(early)
Tuam
plaque
OA.7485
Plaque; bronze; oval;
embossed with crowned woman holding in right arm a child who appears to be
munching a biscuit, Virgin and Child; towered buildings in background; two
holes at top and bottom; Our Lady of Tuam?.
14thC
Late Medieval: Metal item
Galway
finger-ring
18540714.299
Finger-ring; silver;
nielloed; oval bezel with sacred monogram.
15thC
Unknown: Stone items
Galway (said to be)
sculpture
20138017.800
Carved granite
sculpture in the form of a head.
1stC-20thC (?)
Galway (said to be)
sculpture
20138017.121
Carved limestone
sculpture in the form of a head.
1stC-20thC (?)
Clonfert (said to be)
sculpture
20138017.160
Carved granite
sculpture in the form of a head, mounted on a wooden plinth.
1stC-20thC (?)
The following item is
listed in the museum catalogue as coming from either Galway or Fermanagh:
Neolithic/Bronze Age: Stone item
Fermanagh/Aran Islands
axe
19080208.100
Large polished stone
axe; blade missing; damaged butt.
The following item is
listed in the museum catalogue as coming from either Galway or Mayo:
Bronze Age: Metal item
Galway/Mayo
flat axe
19511103.100
Copper-alloy flat axe;
with a thin, narrow, rounded butt.
The following items are
listed in the museum catalogue as coming from either Galway or Westmeath:
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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