EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

(Childe 1938, 133). Six shale cores and four bracelet fragments were found at Doonmore
(Childe 1938, 133). Oldcourt produced one jet core and three bracelet fragments (Murphy &
Ó Cuileanáin 1961). Feltrim Hill produced a waste jet disc, a number of bracelet fragments
and two jet beads (Hartnett & Eogan 1964, 31). However, two jet-like rough-outs from
Knowth, which appear very similar to those from other sites, have recently been argued as
‘unlikely to be the residual cores’ of bracelets, but rather rough discs brought to the site for
finishing into artefacts (Johnson 2012, 735). Indeed, it has been suggested that these roughouts
might have been used on site as gaming pieces (ibid. 230), suggesting that apparent
waste products might have been useful items, rather than simply debris. For other evidence,
fragments of bracelets may represent manufacture or may simply be broken ornaments;
occasionally some are identified as having been broken in the course of manufacture, as at
Cush (Ó Ríordáin 1939-40, 151).
It is also interesting to look at sites which have evidence for working in these materials but
no finished ornaments, such as Ballybrolly, which has a lignite core but no bracelets – indeed
no personal ornaments at all. Another issue requiring further attention is the need for exact
analysis of the jet/lignite/shale, which is often identified simply on appearance rather than a
scientific basis; this would help to show if locally-available material is being used, which might
support idea of local manufacture, or if either the material or the finished artefact is
imported/traded from farther afield.
Bone-working
Bone pins are among the simplest of personal ornaments, in many cases being simple forms
with limited modification and no decoration. While there have been some elaborately carved
examples of bone pins, for example from Lagore, where one was anthropomorphic in form
(Hencken 1950, 193, fig. 105), and Glebe, where a zoomorphic pin in the shape of a horse’s
head was found (Seaver 2007), many are quite plain, notably those made from pig fibulae. It
has been noted that pig-fibula pins ‘could have been manufactured with relatively little skill’
but ‘decorated pins were the work of professionals’ (Edwards 1990, 84), while ‘simple objects
of stone, bone and wood’ would have been made ‘by those who needed them’ (Mytum 1992,
211). The law tracts do not specify bone-working as a craft; the nearest equivalent is the
comb-maker, whose honour price, at half a sét, is significantly below that of any metalworker
(Kelly 1988, 63). However, comb-making might be considered a more skilled task,
requiring both specialised equipment and experience (Hinton 2006, 160). Even still, the
perceived low status of the comb-maker is reflected in a late ninth-century Triad which noted
‘Three things that constitute a comb-maker: racing a hound in contending for a bone;
straightening a ram’s horn by his breath, without fire; chanting upon a dunghill so that all
antlers and bones and horns that are below come to the top’ (Meyer 1906, 17). By extension,
the bone-worker making pins, beads or other items would not seem to have had a social
value, perhaps supporting the idea of individual, domestic manufacture.
Site Site type Bone ornaments Bone working
Athlumney Souterrain 2 pins, 1 bead Indirect
Ballinderry I Crannog 6 pins Indirect
Ballinderry II Crannog 9 pins Indirect
Ballyvass Univallate Pins bone cut-off waste
Baronstown Non-circular 2 pins Indirect
Boho Cashel Pin indirect
Boyerstown Non-circular Pins polished unworked bone
Cahercommaun Cashel 82 pins, 5 beads, 1 pendant worked pieces of bone
Carraig Aille I Cashel 3 pins Indirect
Carraig Aille II Cashel 39 pins, 2 beads indirect
Carrigoran Univallate Bead Indirect
Castlefarm Cemetery/settlement 17 pins unworked pig fibulae
Castleskreen Univallate Pin indirect
Clea Lakes Crannog 4 pins Indirect
Cloghermore Other 8 pins, 3 beads indirect
Cloncowan Cemetery/settlement 2 pins, fragment pendant Indirect
Deer Park Farms Raised 36 pins Indirect
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