The Mace

From A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland 1906

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CHAPTER III....continued

The Mace—The club or mace—known by two names—matan and lorg—though pretty often mentioned, does not appear to have been very generally used. In the Tales, a giant or an unusually strong and mighty champion, is sometimes represented as armed with a mace. There can be no doubt that the mace was used: for in the National Museum in Dublin there are several specimens of bronze mace-heads with projecting spikes. One of them is here represented, which, fixed firmly on the top of a strong lorg or handle, and wielded by a powerful arm, must have been a formidable weapon.

Bronze head of Irish battle-mace

FIG. 12. Bronze head of Irish battle-mace, now in the National Museum, Dublin. The handle was fastened in the socket.

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