[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shows them to be at the very commencement of this type; and it was probable that the tanged type was rapidly superseded by the improved socketed form.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 from the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.)] Another very important find of moulds was made in 1910 at Killymeddy, near Ballymoney, County Antrim. This find included two complete moulds and a half mould for casting looped socketed spear-heads. Of the other moulds for casting spear-heads found in Ireland, nearly all are for the looped type; and the few that have been found for casting the leaf-shaped type are small and indeterminate in character. It is most probable that, with the introduction of the leaf-shaped spear-heads, moulds of clay or sand were introduced; and these have naturally perished. Fragments of a clay mould for casting a spear-head and a sword were found at Whitepark Bay, and portions of clay moulds for spear-heads have been found in Brittany, the Lake of Bienne, and other places. The discoveries of moulds enforce the distinction of type between the looped and leaf-shaped spear-heads, and the moulds from Killymeddy (figs. 38-40 and 43) may probably be placed at the end of the period when stone moulds were in use, and assigned to about 1500-1200 B.C. [Illustration: Fig. 43.--Half of mould for casting spear-head and dagger, Killymeddy, Co. Antrim.] SPEAR-FERULES [Illustration: Fig. 44.--Bronze spear ferules.] [Illustration: Fig. 45.--Bronze spear ferule with La Tene ornament.]