Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/15

Rh of the first class from originals existing in the British Museum.

The manner in which weapons of this form could be hafted, is well shewn by a stone celt, with its handle, which was discovered some years since in the county of Tyrone, near Cookstown, and which was, when I saw it, in the possession of Colonel Stewart of Killymoon. Another method of fastening weapons of this shape to a handle, is illustrated by the small hatchet of iron, of this wedge form, preserved in the Belfast museum, and I believe that it was brought from one of the South Sea Islands. The handle and ball are made of a species of bone.

The annexed figures exhibit modes of fastening weapons of this class, communicated some time since to the Royal Irish Academy in a paper by Robert Ball, Esq., curator of the University museum, Dublin. The first of these specimens was brought from a mine in Mexico, and the other from Little-Fish Bay, in Africa, presented to Mr. Ball by Capt. Adams, R.N.

Although in the three last examples which I have given, we have direct proof as to the manner in which the wedge-like implement could be most efficiently hafted, I am disposed to think the celts (figs. ) were attached to their handles somewhat differently. I think a curved piece of wood was procured which was of less diameter than the breadth of the axe; the wood being then split, the axe was inserted into it, and