The workmanship on the bulk of our arrow-heads is something wonderful, considering the nature of the material of which they are made. Of course many are to be met with, the chipping of which has been roughly and carelessly done, but these are the exceptions rather than the rule. The majority have been fashioned with care and skill, and exhibit a fineness of surface-chipping and a correctness of outline which could not well be surpassed. When examining some of the smaller examples, one often finds himself wondering how the maker manipulated them so that they remained intact during the process of manufacture. The "fluting,"

too, on some of the larger specimens is quite as good as anything to be seen on the finest examples of Egyptian or Danish work. Our ancient arrow-head makers were evidently "born artists." At any rate, they had deft fingers and a keen eye for beauty of form.

Arrow-heads divide readily into three great classes: the leaf-shaped, the triangular, and the stemmed.

I do not see that anything is to be gained by adding to these. Sir William Wilde classifies them in five divisions-the triangular, the indented, the stemmed, the barbed, and the leaf-shaped. I venture to differ with him. I regard the simpler arrangement as preferable, not only on account of its simplicity, which of course is a matter of some moment, but because it seems more in line with the process of development out of which the typical forms have grown.

I. THE LEAF-SHAPED.

To this class belong some of the largest, and many of the thinnest and most delicately worked, of our arrow-heads. I have before me, as I write, specimens so thin and translucent that it is possible to read my own handwriting through them when laid upon it. Yet all of them are exquisitely fashioned, the chipping running right over them, indicating on the part of the makers both delicacy of touch and thorough knowledge alike of what could be done, and what could not be done, with such a difficult material to carve as flint. The typical arrow-head of this class is broad and rounded at the base, and tapers gradually to the point fig. 1. Of leaf-shaped arrow-heads there are two sub-classes: the leaf-shaped proper, and the leaf-shaped modified.

(1). The leaf-shaped proper. The bulk of the arrow-heads shaped like a leaf belong to this sub-class. Of these, in turn, there are four varieties :- (a). Those which, when a line is drawn across them at their broadest part, or from shoulder to shoulder, have more of the arrow-head above this medial line, i. e. towards the point than below it or towards the base. Figs. 2 and 3 are good examples. In these instances the base is more or less pointed instead of being rounded. The arrow-head, too, represented by fig. 3 has its upper edges slightly concave in outline. Both forms are common.

(b). Those which have as much below the medial line as above it, fig. 4.— This variety includes a large percentage of those which are lanceolate

in form, i.e. those leaf-shaped arrow-heads which are comparatively nar

row, and equally sharp, or nearly so, at both ends. With regard to many of these it is impossible to say which end is the point, and which the base. Fig. 5 is taken from one with the base somewhat more pronounced, so that here there is no difficulty in distinguishing between the two.

(c). Those which have more below the

FIG 4

FIG 5

medial line than above it.-This is by no means a numerous variety. Still, there are sufficient specimens to entitle them to be distinguished

from the others. The leading characteristics can best be understood from the illustration, fig. 6. They are a prolonged and, more or less, rounded base, and a sharp point comparatively near the shoulders. The

thirty examples of this variety which I possess only two assume this ogival form.

FIG

(d). Those which are nearly circular, fig. 8.Arrow-heads of this description are by no means numerous. They seem to be wasters more than anything else. Or, it may be that their circular shape has arisen from the re-pointing of an ordinary leaf-shaped arrow-head, such as that represented by fig. 1, after the original point had been broken off.

FIG 12

(2). The leaf-shaped modified. Here we find only two varieties, the lozenge and the kite-shaped.

(e). The lozenge-shaped.Evidently this has been derived from the ordinary leafshaped by simply straightening the outlines, fig. 9. The passage from the one to the other is clearly marked by the occurrence of a considerable number of intermediate forms. Fig. 10 represents one of these. When dealing with arrow-heads of this description with a view to classification, it is by no means easy to determine under

which division the particular example should be placed, whether under that of the leaf-shaped proper, or that of the leaf-shaped modified. The majority of lozenge-shaped arrow-heads are sharp at both ends; the remainder have the base, or portion intended for insertion in the shaft, slightly rounded, or blunted, as in the case of the one represented by fig. 11. Fig. 12 shows one of this sort which has all its edges concave, an exceedingly rare form. From the fact that many of the larger specimens with

the base blunted, or rounded off, show unmistakeable signs of wear-and-tear on the edges which run up to form the point, taken in connexion with the further fact that the portion bounded by these edges is, as a rule, shorter than the remaining portion forming the base, I conclude that they were used, not as arrow or javelin-heads, but as knives.

(f) The Kite-shaped, figs. 13 and 14. This shape would seem to be the result of simply chipping away the edges of a leaf-shaped arrow-head from the shoulders to the point, until the outlines, instead of being convex become decidedly concave, thus leaving the portion which remains narrow and sharp. The base, as will be seen from the two examples figured, is sometimes left pointed, and sometimes trimmed to a semicircular shape. Many of the larger specimens of this variety, irrespective altogether of the form of the base, are polished on both the faces. This has been done

to make them thinner and lighter; these polished heads are peculiar to Ireland. I have noticed that when, as the result of the chipping, the head is sufficiently thin, there is no attempt at polishing. Some of the larger examples measure as much as seven or eight inches in length. Very graceful and beautiful they look; the perfection of workmanship in flint. They must have been used as spear or javelin tips. Those over two and a-half inches long could not have been shot from an ordinary bow either with ease or effect. I have also noticed that yellow or red flint seems to have been specially sought after for the smaller specimens of these kiteshaped heads. Unfortunately for us, what was thus gained in appearance was lost in durability. A great many of them are broken. A friend who has given a good deal of attention to the subject, and to whom I happened to mention the matter, tells me that yellow or red-coloured flint is more brittle than the grey or commoner kind.

II. THE TRIANGULAR.

Arrow-heads of this class, though rare in England, are common with us. In any large and representative collection they are quite as numerous as either the leaf-shaped or the stemmed. The only other European countries in which they abound to a similar extent are those included in the Scandinavian area. America can show a goodly number also, but they do not preponderate. I am inclined to think that the large number of arrow-heads of this description found in Ireland is due directly, or indirectly, to Scandinavian influences. If I am right in this conjecture, light is thrown alike upon our racial history, at least here in the North, and on the age of the arrow-heads themselves.

Of triangular arrow-heads there are two sub-classes: those which have the base straight and unbroken, and those which have it notched, or indented. The majority belong to this latter sub-class.

(1). Those which have the base straight and unbroken, fig. 15.-This form is by no means abundant; the base, while straight, is sharp, and, more or less, chisel-shaped. Occasionally, it has been formed by the natural fracture of the flake. In this case it is worth noting that the maker reserved the thicker portion of the original flake as the part out of which to shape the point. By doing so he saved himself a considerable amount of trouble. It is just possible that some of these straight-based heads were fastened by the point to the arrowshaft after the fashion of the chisel-ended form in use amongst the ancient Egyptians. The example figured has the outlines of the two

FIG 15

sides, or edges, slightly convex. Others have them perfectly straight, or noticeably concave.