Stone tool reused to cure cows of "grup".

Collection type: Object
Description: Stone tool reused to cure cows of "grup".
Geographical reference: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland County Antrim Ballymena
Cultural groups: Irish
Person: Field collector Henry Balfour; PRM source Henry Balfour
Date / Period: Archaeological period: Neolithic
Date collected: By 1896
Acquisition information: Loaned: 05/1896 Bequeathed: 1939
Materials and processes: Material Stone
Dimensions: Length: max 101 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1896.76.2
Associated publications: Mentioned in Ellen Ettlinger, Folklore vol 54, no. 1, (March 1943) pp 227-249, 'There is a flint arrow-head from Port Glenone, Antrim (Ireland) and a neolithic celt from Ballymena (Ireland); both specimens were, as recently as 1897 and 1899, boiled in drinking-water for cattle to cure "grup" [Information from the Pitt Rivers Musuem, I am very much indebted to the curator, Mr T.K. Penniman for his kind assistance]. The explanation for this custom is to be found in the fact that arrow-head and celt were regarded as elf-dart and thunderbolt, and were, on account of their supernatural origin, supposed to render water curative.' [p.230]

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