2006:1856 - Faddan More, Tipperary

In July 2006 an early medieval psalter was discovered during moss-peat harvesting in a bog at Faddan More, Co. Tipperary. An excavation of the find place was carried out in order to ascertain the circumstances of deposition and whether any other features or finds were present. Although the book had been removed from where it had originally been found, it was possible to determine the location where it had originally been deposited. Some pieces of loose leather, one of which appeared to be a strap, were noticed in the ground to the north of the section in which the book had been discovered, and a yellow hair-like substance was noticed on the ground surface in the area surrounding the strap. Initial results suggest that a number of pieces of fine leather lying disturbed to the north of the cavity may have been part of a leather bag, which may have contained the book. Extensive samples of the peat were taken from the area and are currently being analysed in the National Museum’s Conservation Laboratory.