Rare Bronze Age relics found in burglary probe
Wednesday April 08 2009
National treasures, including a priceless gold necklace dating back to 2000BC, have been recovered by gardai investigating a burglary.
The hitherto unknown items are currently in the possession of the State and the National Museum is hoping to put them on display in the near future.
Gardai made the unexpected discovery while investigating a break-in and burglary at Sheehan's Pharmacy in Strokestown, Co Roscommon.
In the early hours of Friday March 27, burglars made off with a safe from the premises.
Local gardai hunting the raiders were joined by senior officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations and by detectives from the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
Searched
On Wednesday April 1, a number of premises in the Dublin area were searched and the safe from the Strokestown raid was recovered. It contained prescription drugs, documents and an amount of antique jewellery.
Two Dublin men were subsequently arrested and detained for questioning at Roscommon garda station. Both men were charged in connection with the break-in and burglary at the Strokestown pharmacy and later released on station bail. Both are due to appear at Strokestown District Court on April 22. It quickly became apparent that the items were of great historical and archaeological significance and they were examined by experts from the National Museum.
Last night pharmacist Sunniva Sheehan said she had seen the items in the 1950s when her late father had shown them to her. Ms Sheehan had also seen them in the 1960s after her father died when she showed them to her sister. They had remained in her father's safem, she said.
The stolen artefacts included a lunula -- a crescent shaped necklace believed to date back to 2000BC, the early bronze age. Fewer than 200 of the ancient artefacts are known to exist and are believed to be the work of just a handful of master craftsmen.
Also recovered were two gold sun discs which date back to the same era. Chief Superintendent Paul Hargadon said the items were subsequently examined by officials from the National Museum and there appeared to be great interest in the historical significance of the discovery.
Officials from the National Museum have been in contact with the proprietors of Sheehan's Pharmacy in Strokestown who have been assisting them in their own investigation in relation to the artefacts.
Priceless
The director of the National Museum, Dr Pat Wallace, said yesterday that while everything had a price, the items recovered by gardai were priceless, in archaeological terms.
Dr Wallace said: "Their existence was not previously known to us and we are looking forward to examining them in detail.
"Perhaps the owner would like to present them to the National Museum. My colleagues are currently in Roscommon with the gardai and it is clear these items date back 4,000 years to pre-Celtic times, in fact to the time of the Pharaohs."
- Brian McDonald
