Proceedings at the Meeting of the Archeological institute.
March 3, 1854.
William H. Blaauw, Esq., F.S.A., in the Chair.
Mr. Yates read a notice, by Dr. C. Leemans, of axe-heads, wedges and other ancient implements of stone, discovered in Java and Borneo, and preserved in the Museum at Leyden, of which Dr. Leemans is the Curator.[1] Mr. Yates invited attention to the remarkable series of the stone weapons and implements of Scandinavia, presented by the King of Denmark to Mr. C. Roach Smith, who had kindly sent them for the inspection of the Institute.
Mr. Morgan observed, that the comparison of such vestiges of the rudest conditions of society in various and remote quarters of the globe presents a subject of very interesting enquiry. He had been struck with the similarity to forms familiar to European antiquaries on examining the stone reliques which he had obtained from North America, exhibited at the Meeting in June last.[2] Amongst these he noticed one which appeared analogous to some of the stone objects described by Dr. Leemans; it had been described as a skinning knife, and possibly the antiquities discovered in Java might comprise implements intended for a similar purpose. Mr. Franks stated, in reference to remarks made by Dr. Leemans on the popular superstition of the natives, by whom these stone weapons were preserved as amulets, and suspended in their houses, that to an Etruscan necklace in the British Museum is appended an arrow-head of flint, probably with some notion of its talismanic virtue.
Mr. O'Neill offered further observations on sculptured crosses in Ireland, and explained some curious subjects presented by that at Kilklispeen, on which is represented a funeral procession, accompanied by seven bishops, the headless corpse being conveyed on the back of a horse. He produced rubbings from this cross, and from that recently brought to light at Tuam. The base only had remained in the Market Place, and it had been customary to attach the bull to it at bull-baitings. The shaft had disappeared, but in preparing models for the Industrial Exhibition in Dublin, the broken portions were, with one exception, discovered. The original height of this remarkable example, which is of very slender proportions, is not less than thirty feet. It bears two inscriptions, requesting prayers for Turlogh O'Conor, the King, who lived in the XIIth century, and for Edan O'Hoisin the Abbot. The sculptor's name, Gillu-Christ, is also recorded. The
- ↑ Printed in this volume, ante, p. 116. Dr. Leeman's Memoir "Over steenen Wiggen op Java," appeared in the Dutch periodical entitled, "Tijdschrift voor de Wis-en Natuurkundige Wetenschappen," with three lithographic plates.
- ↑ Archaeol. Journ., vol. x., p. 260.
