Co Fermanagh: Archaeological Objects at The British Museum

The British Museum holds 28 items identified as coming from Co Fermanagh, along with one each located to Fermanagh/Galway and Fermanagh/Tyrone. The majority of these (9) are assigned to the Early Bronze Age period (9). The most common object type represented are axes (7), followed by flat axes and spear-heads (5 each). Three material types are represented in this assemblage: Metal (21), Stone (8) and Pottery (1).


Neolithic: Stone item
Enniskillen
lozenge arrow-head
0.913
Flint lozenge arrow-head.


Neolithic/Bronze Age: Stone items
Fermanagh
axe
St.128.b
Polished stone axe; damaged butt.

Fermanagh
hammer
19890301.143
Perforated stone hammerhead, chipped on blade, one end shaped like hammer, oval shape, brown in colour.

Enniskillen
axe
20050501.304
Polished stone axe with; butt broken.

Enniskillen
axe
20050501.305
Polished stone axe with slightly damaged butt and chipped blade; damage to butt end of one face.


Neolithic (?)/Bronze Age (?)/Iron Age (?): Stone item
Lisbellaw
whetstone; hammer (?)
18431226.28.b
Stone whetstone; triangular; flat end might have had secondary use as hammer?; dark grey slate; undamaged but scratches on visible surface (much of one face covered with collector's label).


Bronze Age: Metal item
Fermanagh
spear-head
OA.123
Copper alloy socketed spearhead, blade only.

Fermanagh
spear-head
OA.121
Copper alloy socketed spear-head, perforated blade.

Fermanagh
spear-head
OA.142
Copper alloy socketed spear-head, pegged.

Fermanagh
spear-head
18580504.100
Copper alloy socketed spear-head, side-looped.

Enniskillen
axe
18431226.700
Copper alloy short-flanged axe; cast.

Florence Court
spear-head
18470401.600
Copper alloy socketed spearhead, pegged. Damaged.


Early Bronze Age: Metal items
Fermanagh
axe
18630122.190
Copper alloy flanged axe with thin, rounded butt; decorated.

Enniskillen
flat axe
19641201.810
Copper-alloy flat axe; with a thin, straight butt. Sides splay gently from butt to create a semi-circular cutting-edge. Entire object surface is covered with mounds and pits of green and brown copper-alloy corrosion.

Enniskillen
flat axe
19641201.800
Copper-alloy flat axe; with a thin, rounded butt. Sub-triangular in form. Sides splay gently from butt to form a slightly rounded cutting-edge. Entire object is covered with green and brown patina; there is a mound of corrosion on one face with blue corrosion despoits.

Florence Court
axe
18470401.400
Copper alloy flanged axe with thin, rounded butt. Undecorated.

Florence Court
flat axe
18470401.500
Copper-alloy flat axe; with thin, narrow, rounded butt. Sides are roughly parallel to each other in upper half, then splay gradually in lower half to from a slightly rounded cutting-edge.

Ballynamallard
dagger
18640503.200
Copper alloy dagger with an aysemmetrical blade. Three rivet holes visible with one rivet in situ.

Enniskillen
halberd
18831018.100
Copper alloy halberd, asymmetrical blade with rounded hafting plate and straight, rounded midrib. Three rivet holes.

Enniskillen
flat axe
19641201.820
Copper-alloy flat axe; with a thin, slightly rounded butt. Sides are almost parallel in the upper half, before splaying gradually to form a semi-circular cutting-edge.


Late Bronze Age: Metal items
Florence Court
socketed axe
18470630.300
Copper alloy socketed axe; cast. Oval mouth with bevelled rim. Neck is concave and ridge is set at top of loop. Sides are straight and cutting edge is slightly expanded. Casting seams were trimmed. Cross-section of body is sub-rectangular.

Ballynamallard
socketed axe
18680805.110
Copper alloy socketed axe, cast. Mouth is flared and neck concave. Loop very strong and broad. Remains of a casting jet are visible on rim and mould join also occurs inside the mouth.

Ederny
sword
18431226.100
Copper alloy sword, with modern repair. The terminal end of tang is missing. There is one rivet-hole and the remains of another at the broken end.

Ballynamallard
sword
18640503.100
Copper alloy sword.

Newton Butler (near)
penannular ring
18601123.100
Gold small penannular ring with external longitudinal striations on the body. The terminals are decorated with four-five light incised horizontal lines and finish in uneven blunt ends.
1000BC-750BC (circa)


Medieval: Metal item
Florence Court
cauldron
18470401.100
Cauldron; bronze; three feet of differing sizes and two angular handles with hanging attachment; rib rises from centre of each leg.
13thC


Unknown: Pottery item
Fermanagh, crannog
crucible
18850712.150
Crucible, of oval section; grey ware, with traces of accidental vitrification on one side.


Unknown: Stone item
White Island (said to be)
sculpture
20138017.290
Carved black basalt sculpture in the form of a head with a separate plinth.
1stC-20thC (?)


The following item is listed in the museum catalogue as coming from either Fermanagh or Galway:
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 Fermanagh or Tyrone:
Early Bronze Age: Metal item
Ederny (?)/Fivemiletown (?)
flat axe
18431226.300
Copper alloy flat axe; with a thin, narrow, rounded butt. Sides are roughly parallel to each other in upper half, then swing out gently in lower half to form a rounded cutting-edge, which has a notch missing.

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