2008:467 - War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge, Dublin

Excavation of a trench for an electricity cable uncovered an iron sword and spearhead at the War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge, Dublin. The artefacts, both of Scandinavian type, were retrieved from the spoil by a construction worker and subsequently reported to the National Museum. Bone had also apparently been visible in the trench in the vicinity of the sword but was not removed. A small cutting was opened for the purposes of retrieving the disturbed human remains and any other finds which may have been associated with the burial. The burial, apparently oriented approximately north–south, had been heavily disturbed and pieces of disarticulated bone were found throughout the backfill of the trench. A small portion of an in situ inhumation burial was discovered at the base of the trench. It had also been badly damaged by a wall which was built on top of it some ten years ago. Only portions of the vertebral column, ribs and one femur were found in situ. A copper-alloy plain-ringed loop-headed ringed pin was discovered in the area of the upper ribs, and a possible scale pan and pointer were also found in this area, but not in situ.