A search for early antiquarian records of Irish finds has revealed much fresh information in the Minute-books and other archives of this Society, giving excellent records of hitherto unpublished material, and adding new information on already known objects. The material discussed was found mainly in the half-century from 1720 to 1770. Prominent Irish antiquaries and antiquarian societies of the period are mentioned, and a discussion of their views on this material is included.
Two spectacular gold objects, a fibula with wreathed bow found in Co. Galway, and a Melfort-type armlet found in a burial-cist at Whitfield, near Waterford city, are illustrated, and the valuable associative and contextual evidence from the Society's archives is cited and discussed. Drawings and descriptions of several other objects, mainly of gold and bronze, are also given.
The active investigation of this rather neglected avenue of discovery has yielded good results, and is a potentially valuable source of new archaeological material and information.