Casgliadau Arlein

A fragment of metalworking mould. This mould could represent the back of a brooch terminal. It has a finger pressed keying indent at one edge that would be central to a bivavle mould half.

This mould has an incomplete impression of a flat plate with steps, and a single neative keying consistent with a finger indent. The impression resembles the inner edge of the back of a brooch terminal, with a keying indent central to the bivalve mould half, and the suggestion of curvature relate to a hoop, whose diameter can be estimated at about 80mm. The is a change in the direction of the impressed edge towards one end. Fabric: dark grey core and inner surface, thin light brown outer surface. Due to the presence of copper slag on-site, these moulds were probably produced copper alloy objects.

From Group C. Impressions with Curved or Straight Edges and Projecting Lugs

2017.4H/3.5 and 2017.4H/3.6 appears to indicate an object with projecting lugs, recalling those on the door handle plate from Donore, Co. Meath (Kelly; Youngs 1989, cat. No. 64). However, the projections on the St Patrick’s Chapel moulds are small and project from straight edges which show slight curvature towards on end of the surviving fragments. Both are very fragmentary, but the keying indent is partially preserved on 2017.4H/3.6, in the manner of central indents on bivalve moulds from Dooey, Co. Donegal and Dunadd (for brooches; Youngs 1989, nos 180, 181). There is a suggestion that the impression may have continued into a hoop, suggesting that this fragment could represent the inner edges of a penannular brooch terminal. The late ninth – early tenth-century brooch from Ballyspan, Co. Kilkenny, has similar small projections (Youngs 1989, cat. No. 89, 104, lower left), while the Breadalbane brooch as slightly larger projections (Brunning 2020, fig. 10.1).

Canoloesol Cynnar, dernyn mowld ceramig i gweithio copr