“Cumdachs,” or book-shrines, are peculiar to Ireland. Three MSS. still in existence are known, from historical evidence, to have had cumdachs, although they have been lost. These are:— The Book of Durrow enshrined A.D. 877 to 914. The Book of Armagh ” A.D. 938. The Book of Kells ” before A.D. 1007. The existing cumdachs are as follows:— _In the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy._ Cumdach of Molaise’s Gospels A.D. 1001 to 1025. ” ” the Stowe Missal A.D. 1023. ” ” Columba’s Psalter A.D. 1084. ” ” St. Patrick’s Gospels. _In the Library of Trinity College, Dublin._ Cumdach of Dimma’s Book A.D. 1150. The cumdachs are simply rectangular boxes, sufficiently large to hold the MS., made either of wood or bronze and plated with silver. The decoration of the principal face of the cumdach is generally arranged in the form of a cross, the treatment being much the same as in the ornamental pages of the MSS. of the Gospels. The cross on the cumdach of Molaise’s Gospels is formed of a flat silver plate with panels pierced right through the thickness of the metal, and filled in with interlaced patterns in filigree-work. The cross in the middle is surrounded by the Symbols of the Four Evangelists, with their names inscribed at the side of each. The centre of the cross and the ends of the four arms are ornamented with settings of crystal. On one of the narrow faces of this cumdach are some very curious figures of two ecclesiastics, one holding a bell and the other a pastoral staff; and a harper, with an angel above his head, between them. The cumdach of the Stowe Missal has upon the principal face a cross within a rectangular frame. The centre of the cross is ornamented with a crystal setting, and the recessed panels of the background are filled in with a peculiar kind of triangular and square chequerwork made of pierced metal plates. The cumdach of Dimma’s Book has also on the principal face a cross surrounded by a rectangular frame, and ornamented with thirteen crystal settings. The four recessed panels of the background of the cross are filled in with zoömorphic designs in the same style as those on the High Cross of Tuam,[398] Co. Galway, which is of about the same period, having been erected in A.D. 1123. The relic shrines of the Celtic Church are of two kinds, namely, (1) those made in the shape of the portion of the body of the saint enshrined; and (2) those made in the shape of a small oratory or house with a steep pitched roof having hipped ends. As an example of the first kind we have the Shrine of St. Lachtin’s Arm.[399] [398] H. O’Neill’s _Sculptured Crosses of Ancient Ireland_, pl. 12. [399] _Vetusta Monumenta_, vol. vi., pl. 19. [Illustration: CELTIC QUADRANGULAR BELL OF BRONZE WITH ZOÖMORPHIC HANDLES FROM LLANGWYNODL CHURCH, CARNARVONSHIRE; NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF W. CORBET YALE-JONES-PARRY, ESQ., OF MADRYN CASTLE, PWLLHELI