DERFL/1

Corpus Refs:Okasha/Forsyth/2001:Derrynaflan 1
Site:DERFL
Discovery:first mentioned, 1980 inc
History:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `The stone appears to have come to the NMI in 19080 at the time of the discovery of the famous Derrynaflan hoard, but the relevant file contains no record of how or when the slab was discovered'.
Geology:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `smooth and fine-grained grey sandstone'.
Dimensions:0.91 x 0.37 x 0.04 (Okasha/Forsyth/2001)
Setting:in display
Location:National Museum of Ireland (Cat: DNF IA/19/80)
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `The stone is in the store of the National Museum of Ireland'.
Form:cross-slab
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `A large plain recumbent slab'.
Condition:complete , some
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `complete'.
Folklore:none
Crosses:none
Decorations:

Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `undecorated'.

References


Inscriptions


DERFL/1/1

Readings

Okasha and Forsyth (1996):O~R~DOANMAINDUBSCUL[E]
Expansion:
OROIT DO ANMAIN DUBSCULE
Translation:
A prayer for the soul of Dub-scuile (PN).
Okasha/Forsyth/2001 195 reading only

Notes

Orientation:Incomplete Information
Position:n/a ; broad ; n/a ; undecorated
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194: `The original orientation of the slab is not known'.
Incision:scratched
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 194--195: `The slim carved line is very shallow and may have been cut rather than pecked. ... The Derrynaflan lettering is slight in both incision profile and in scale'.
Date:None published
Language:Goidelic (rbook)
Ling. Notes:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 195: `Requests for prayers on behalf of the soul of a deceased person, using the formula or(óit) ar anmain N., are unusual, and Macalister lists only seven examples from Ireland (Macalister/1949). The Derrynaflan slab is unique in ising the preposition do rather than ar to govern ainim'.
Palaeography:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 195: `The text uses half-uncial script with rather round, unserifed letters and is legible. There has been some loss to the second A and the interior of the final letter has de-laminated, but otherwise the lettering is undamaged. The form of A is flat-topped and open at the base. A curious feature of this inscription is the marked difference in scale between some of the letters: the letter H. varies between 0.8 cm and 2.5 cm.'

CISP: The lettering is Insular half-uncial. The B, S and L appear to have wedge-shaped finials atop their ascenders, and there is a possible instance of diminuendo, although as Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 196, point out, this may be the result of the lapidary running out of room having carved Dubscul[e] first. The initial OR has a contraction mark over it, and the R is in the open majuscule form. Both Ds have ascenders which bend to the left over the bow, although the bow of the second example is considerably more circular. The A's are not in the 'OC' form, but instead are given a flat top and an open bow. The B also has an open bow, as well as a vertical ascender. The 'foot' of the L curves upwards.

Legibility:good
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 195: `legible'.
Lines:1
Carving errors:0
Doubtful:no

Names

References