The year following its discovery the whole find was purchased by the
British Museum, where its presence at once figured as "another injustice
to Ireland"; while through the Press and in Parliament numerous attempts
were made to obtain its removal to Dublin. The Irish claimed it as
treasure-trove and maintained that its legal home was the National
Museum at Dublin. The British Museum authorities replied that Dublin had
missed an opportunity of obtaining it in open market, while they
themselves, having acquired it in the ordinary course of business, were
precluded by statute from parting with it. They further contended that
the ornaments were not necessarily of Irish workmanship, but might with
equal likelihood have been produced in Britain. Thus for several years
the dispute dragged on, until in the summer of 1903 the case came up in
the Chancery Division of the Courts of Law (Attorney-General _v._
Trustees of British Museum. _The Times Law Reports_, XIX, p. 555.)
Notwithstanding the ingenious defence of the British Museum, judgment
was given that the ornaments were treasure-trove, and by virtue of the
Prerogative Royal must be surrendered to the King. They were accordingly
delivered to the Crown authorities and presented to the Irish National
Museum by His Majesty.
ROMANO-BRITISH
Whatever races settled under the banner of Rome, they accepted
unreservedly its ornaments, dress and manners, as well as its language
and its laws. Hence the jewellery which dates from the Roman occupation
of Britain (i.e. from about 43 A.D. to about 410 A.D.) follows for the
most part the Italian designs, and at the same time differs but little
from that brought to light among the remains of Roman colonisation
elsewhere.
The majority of Romano-British personal ornaments are of bronze--in
most cases probably once gilt. Comparatively few objects of gold have
been found. Among the articles of female adornment that occur in the
greatest abundance are pins, which were used for fixing the hair in a
knot behind the head, though some may have been employed as dress-pins.
They range from 3 to 9 inches in length, and have heads of various
designs, terminating in some instances in a bust or in a figure. The
majority are of bone, many are of bronze, and a few are composed of
coloured glass or jet.
A few necklaces of gold and bronze have been found, but by far the
greater number appear to have been composed of beads of glass--in the
manufacture of which the Romans displayed remarkable skill. These
necklaces differ considerably in form and colour. The commonest beads
are spherical and pierced with a large hole. They are usually of one
colour, generally blue, but some are of compound colours exquisitely
blended, and a few have a serpentine ornament fused into the glass.
Beads of amber, pearls, and glazed earthenware have also been found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account