oducts.

[Illustration: Fig. 36.--Spear-heads with ornamental openings in the
blades.]

[Illustration: Fig. 37.--Spear-head found at Tempo, Co. Fermanagh.]

[Illustration: Fig. 38.--Half of mould for casting a socketed
spear-head, Killymeddy, Co. Antrim.]

Another very rare type of spear-head, in which the loops are formed by
the extension of the small ribs on each side of the mid rib, must be
mentioned. These spear-heads are very seldom met with. We only know of
the existence of four, of which one is in the Greenwell collection, two
in the collection of the Royal Irish Academy, and one in the Municipal
Museum at Belfast. The Academy was fortunate enough to secure a very
fine specimen in 1912. It was found with two leaf-shaped bronze swords
at Tempo, County Fermanagh,[14] and measures 15-1/2 inches long (fig.
37). Judging from the associated swords, this spear-head may be dated
about the ninth century B.C.

[14] Proc. Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxx, sec. c, p. 91.

MOULDS

[Illustration: Fig. 39.--Half of mould for casting a spear-head and
dagger, Killymeddy, Co. Antrim.]

The most important moulds for casting spear-heads found in Ireland are
a series for casting early tanged spear-heads which were found about
thirty years ago at Omagh, County Tyrone, and are now in the possession
of Mr. M. J. Sullivan. These moulds are of the greatest importance in
the history of the development of the bronze spear-head, as they show
the evolution of the tanged blade to the socketed form, and also that
the tanged and socketed forms were in contemporary use in Ireland. The
form of the moulds for the socketed spear-heads shows them to be at the
very commencement of this type; and it was probable that the tanged type
was rapidly superseded by the improved socketed form.

[Illustration: Fig. 40.--Mould for casting spear-head and knife,
Killymeddy, Co. Antrim.]

These moulds are made of sandstone; and the illustrations will show
them sufficiently. For a full description see the Journal of the Royal
Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xxxvii, 1907, p. 181.

[Illustration: FIG. 41.--MOULDS FOR PRIMITIVE SPEAR-HEADS FOUND IN THE
COUNTY TYRONE. (Reproduced from the Journal of the
Royal Society of Antiquaries.)]

[Illustration: FIG. 42.--MOULDS FOR PRIMITIVE SPEAR-HEADS FOUND IN THE
COUNTY TYRONE. (Reproduced