Plate 2.20: Bronze Age Horns with Medieval Brooch, Arm-Rings, and Shield (Original Explanatory Account)

Fig. III. IV. V. Three brass Trumpets found (with Ten or a Dozen more) in a Bog between Cork and Mallow in the Kingdom of Ireland. They are imagined to be some of those Instruments, which the Northern Nations made use of in Battle. σάλπιγγας δ᾽ ἔχουσιν [Galli] ἰδιοφυεῖς καὶ βαρβαρικάς: ἐμφυσῶσι γὰρ ταύταις καὶ προβάλλουσιν ἦχον τραχὺν καὶ πολεμικῆς ταραχῆς οἰκεῖον. Tubas habent proprii generis et barbaras: His enim inflant, et emittunt sonum asperum, et bellico tumultui accommodatum. [And they (i.e. the Gauls) had war trumpets of a peculiar and barbaric nature: for when they blow into them they bellow out a jagged sound, appropriate to war and disorder.] Diodor. Sic. V. 30. [Diodorus of Sicily, Library of History] τὰ δὲ πάλιν ὁ κόσμος αὐτοὺς καὶ θόρυβος ἐξέπληττε τῆς τῶν Κελτῶν δυνάμεως. ἀναρίθμητον μὲν γὰρ ἦν τὸ τῶν βυκανητῶν καὶ σαλπιγκτῶν πλῆθος. οἷς ἅμα τοῦ παντὸς στρατοπέδου συμπαιανίζοντος τηλικαύτην καὶ τοιαύτην συνέβαινε γίνεσθαι κραυγὴν ὥστε μὴ μόνον τὰς σάλπιγγας καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς παρακειμένους τόπους συνηχοῦντας ἐξ αὑτῶν δοκεῖν προΐεσθαι φωνήν. Sed rursus illos stupor quodam percellebat, qua ornatus Gallici exercitus, qua tumultus ipse et clamor. Nam præter buccinatorum tubicinumque prope infinitam multitudinem, universo exercitu ululatum insimul tollente, talis tantusque exortus est clamor, ut non tubae solum ac milites, sed etiam resonantia e proximo loca vocem per se viderentur edere. Polyb. l. ii. [Polybius, Histories.] [See end of document for translation.] Add Liv. V. 37. fin. & 39. Eustath. ad Homer. Iliad. Σ. 219. Smith’s Hist. of Cork, IV. 10. Molineux’ Append. to Boat’s Nat. Hist. of Ireland, p. 197.

Of these Fig. V. consists of one entire piece of fine Brass, closed at the small end, near which it has a large oval hole, for sounding, in the manner of the German Flute at this day. The two Rings were probably designed to receive a String, by which it was to be carried or supported. Fig. III. and IV. are of a different Construction; They consist, at present, of two pieces, viz. a curve Pipe, and a small strait Tube, fitted exactly to enter into the small end of it. These were not sounded, as the former, but from the end, in the manner of a common Trumpet. The Mouth-piece to both seems wanting.

More of this sort were found some years ago, near Carrickfergus, in the North of Ireland: two of which were brought into England, and are probably the same which are now reposited in the British Museum.

The Shield or Target, marked VI. VII and VIII. was found under ground within the Area of the Camp at Hendinas, a Hill which lyes to the North-west of Oswestre in Shropshire (of which see Camden p. 657.) Fig. VI. is a Perspective view of the outer Surface, as Fig. VII. is of the inner. Fig. VIII. is a Section through the Centre. That part which is to the right hand of the perpendicular line V. T. X. is a Section from the Centre, through the middle of the Wood, which supported the Handle, marked F. H. in Fig. VII, and that part, which is to the left of the same line, is a Section from the Centre to the place marked E in Fig. VII.

    A.A.A. in each of the Figures denote the Iron Circle, which encompasses the extreme edge of the outer Surface, which was opposed to the Enemy. a, a, a, a, &c. are nine concentric iron Circles ranged between the extreme Circle A. and the Umbo of the Shield.

     C.1. C.2. Two pieces of a whitish hard Leather, lying one on the other, immediately under the Iron Net-work, but which were originally hid by

     D. D. D. A piece of softer Leather, which lay over the above-mentioned, and formed the inner Surface of the Shield.

     E. E. an Iron Circle of the same Diameter with A, encompassing the extreme edge of the inner Surface, as that did the outer.

     F.F. Pieces of Wood supporting the Handle.

     G.G. A Piece of Iron covering the upper edge of F.

     H. A Loop made in the Iron Hoop E. E. in which this part of the Wood is inserted.

     I. I. I. Strops of Iron, which secured the Wood of the Handle immoveable in its place.

     KL. KM. and KN. Iron Pins or Rivets, which are inserted in the Iron Radii B. B. and concentric Circles a, a, a, a, &c. where they cross each other; and passing through the two pieces of Leather marked C.1. C.2. connect the whole. The Heads of these Pins were each of them covered with a small globule of Brass: But the other Ends were not visible, when the Shield was entire, being hid by the softer piece of Leather marked D. D. D. And it is to be observed also, that the Pins marked K.L. pass quite through the piece of Wood F. which supported the Handle, but those marked K.M. entered only a little way into it.

     P.Q. The Pins which connect the two large Iron Hoops A. and E. together. These were topped with a larger globule of Brass than the rest.

     R. R. The extreme Projection of the Umbo.

     S. S. A Circle of Brass at the extremity of that Projection.

     T. T. A Piece of Steel passing through the middle of the Projection R. R. and the brass Circle S. S. The upper end is broken off, but probably finished in a point, as expressed by the dotted lines S. V. and V. S. Which circumstance rendered the Shield an Offensive as well as Defensive Weapon.

The Diameter of the Shield is 11 Inches 2/3, or pretty exactly a Roman Foot.

Fig. IX. is a Section of [Fig. X.] an oval Brass Ornament of chased Work, somewhat like the Embossment of a Horse-bit. It was found, together with a long Brass Pin and a Brass Needle, one on each side of a Skeleton, in the Isle of Sangay, between the Isles of Uril and Harris, to the West of Scotland. Exactly the Fellow of it is in the British Museum.