Irish Iron Age horns, and the conical spearbutt of Navan: a mouthpiece investigation

Abstract

In this article it is argued that Irish Iron Age horns originally had mouthpieces. Their absence in the archaeological record is discussed and explained. A theoretical mouthpiece model is developed. The conical spearbutt of Navan (which correlates with this model) is replicated through three dimensional printing and explored as evidence of mouthpiece technology