1912 with a socketed spear-head
at Tempo, County Fermanagh.

[25] Naue, "Die Vorroemischen Schwerter," pp. 12 and 20.

[26] See Burrowes, "Discoveries in Crete," p. 183.

[Illustration: Fig. 65.--Leaf-shaped bronze swords, found with a
spear-head at Tempo, Co. Fermanagh.]

No moulds for casting leaf-shaped swords of either type have been
found in Ireland; and it is therefore probable that at the time they
were in use sand-casting had replaced casting from stone moulds. The
scabbards of the leaf-shaped swords were made of wood or leather,
protected by a ferule or chape of bronze, which was fastened to it by
rivets; the point of the weapon does not seem to have reached the end
of the sheath. There are several examples of bronze chapes in the
Royal Irish Academy's collection, and they display a considerable
variety of design. Some are long and tubular in shape (fig. 66), while
others are of the winged or boat-shaped type which is found on the
Continent (fig. 67). Others again are of a small and simple type. The
rivet-holes for the attachment of the sheaths can be seen in nearly
all the Irish specimens. The casting of these objects shows a good
deal of skill, as the metal is very thin. The winged variety are
probably the latest, as they have been found with iron swords of
Hallstatt type on the Continent.

[Illustration: Fig. 66.--Bronze chapes.]

[Illustration: Fig. 67.--Winged chapes.]

SHIELDS

[Illustration: Fig. 68.--Bronze shield, found at Lough Gur,
Co. Limerick.]

Two circular shields or bucklers of bronze have been found in Ireland.
There is only one in the National Collection, the fine shield
discovered at Lough Gur, County Limerick. There is, however, a small
shield of bronze ornamented with large bosses in the British Museum
which was found at Athenry, County Galway.[27] These bronze shields
have never been found in the British Islands with any objects which
would give any definite clue to their date; but they are generally
referred to the late Bronze Age. They belong to a common type, being
decorated with numerous bands of small bosses separated by concentric
circles. They appear to have been hammered out.

[27] "British Museum Bronze-Age Guide," p. 30.

[Illustration: Fig. 69.--Alder-wood shield, found in Co. Leitrim.]

[Illustration: Fig. 70.--Front and back of leather shield, found at
Clonbrin, Co. Longford.]

There are two other shie