One year later and none the wiser as to what object these 16 copper rivets are from! We discovered these during an archaeological excavation of a cave hideout in County Sligo that was used in 1922 at the height of the Irish Civil War. The copper rivets attached an iron band to something that has now disintegrated. We have ruled out a bandolier and boot soles. We have contacted museums throughout Ireland and Britain, and spoken to numerous colleagues in archaeology and history, but no one knows what the rivets are from!
Here are our current thoughts:
· reinforcement bands from a field medical supply box
· shrapnel for use in an improvised explosive device
· components of field equipment, such as a field telephone
· bolts from sheeting removed from the recently destroyed Ballinalee armoured car used for bullet-proof pannelling in the cave hideout!
There must be someone out there who recognises these? Please share widely and help us solve the mystery!! Email: marion.dowd@atu.ie or robertmulraney@gmail.com, or contact us here.
The Tormore Cave Project
Caves Of Ireland 