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'. |
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 |
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 |