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nydus/The Origin of Metallic Currency and Weight StandardsPublic
Page 60 of 630
Table of Contents

CHAPTER II. Primitive Systems of Currency.

Fig. 10. Nos. 1, 2, found in Tipperary; 3, Scandinavian; 4, 5, found in
Co. Mayo; 6, 7, 8, ordinary Irish type.
Fig. 10. Nos. 1, 2, found in Tipperary; 3, Scandinavian; 4, 5, found in Co. Mayo; 6, 7, 8, ordinary Irish type.

The same spirals of quadrangular wire were probably employed by the Kelts, as that shown in Fig. 10, No. 3 was found in Ireland; Nos. 4 and 5 are of quadrangular wire but are simple hoops, whilst in Nos. 6, 7, 8, we get the regular Irish type of a round wire not completely closed44. The latter probably represent a more advanced state of art, as their makers must have had considerable metallurgic skill, No. 8 being made of gold plated over a copper core.

As we shall see further on, the Egyptian rings are made on a standard almost identical with the Homeric talent, and I have shown elsewhere that the rings from Mycenae were made on almost the same standard45. I shall endeavour to show in an Appendix that the Irish rings also show evidence of being made on a definite standard, whilst it has been long

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