The occurrence of several specimens so constantly all of the same weight, as for instance those about 220 grs., points beyond doubt to the conclusion that when the rings were being made a given quantity of gold was weighed out for the purpose. The story of St Finnian proves that for any transaction in which rings were employed as money, the scales were employed.
There is a set of leaden weights in the Royal Irish Academy Collection, found at Island Bridge, Dublin, in 1869, when Ancient Irish and Scandinavian remains were found together. As they are more or less corroded, it is not advisable to lay much stress on their present weights.
| grs. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Semicircular weight | 1852 | |
| 2. | Animal’s head | 1550 | |
| 3. | Circular | 1221 | |
| 4. | 958 | ||
| 5. | 634 | ||
| 6. | Oblong | 539 | |
| 7. | 459 | ||
| 8. | Quadrangular | 414 | (oz.) |
| 9. | 395 | (oz.) | |
| 10. | 220 |
There are certainly some interesting points of agreement between the weights and the gold ornaments, e.g. the weights of 220, 390, 414, 630, have corresponding weights in gold. The largest weight may be 4½ oz. of 410 grs.