This bronze ‘flesh-hook’, possibly used to pull chunks of meat out of a cauldron, was found in a bog at Dunaverney, Ireland, in 1829. Recent radiocarbon dating has placed it between 1050 and 900 вс, within the Late Bronze Age - a time of superb bronze-working skills.

Flesh-hooks appear to be a basic utensil for cooking or serving portions of meat. Most, however, are the products of highly skilled metalworking. This flesh-hook is particularly exceptional in having two sets of birds mounted on rotating shanks through the shaft of the instrument. No other Bronze Age artefacts from Ireland or Britain have animal-shaped models. The fact that objects such as this required high levels of skill and had elements of individuality sets them apart. They would have been associated with figures of authority and particular occasions such as communal feasts and could also therefore have acted as a symbol for the whole community.



From Dunaverney, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, 1050-900 вс
L. 56.3 cm