This Natiohal Monument is in the care of the Commissioners of Public Works for the State under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts. The Pubtic are requested to aid the Commissioners in preserving it. Injury or defacement is severely punishabLe by Law. 【この国定記念物は、「国定記念物法」の規定に基づき、国家のために公共事業委員会の 管理下にあります。 一般の皆様には、この記念物の保護にご協力いただくようお願いいたします。 損傷や落書きなどの行為は、法律により厳しく罰せられます。】と。
「EARLY SETTLEMENT AT ATHLONE Athlone is located on the intersectlon of along gravel ridge with the Shannon to provide a convenient river crossing. Its name is anglicisation of the lrish Ath Luain,meaning either the ford of Luan or the ford of the haunch. The recovery from the riverbed of almost a score of Neolithic stone axeheads and more than fifty Bronze Age weapons and ornarnents indicates the ford's importance in prehistoric times. Survivmg graveslabs suggest that Athlone was an Early Christian settlernent site, but much inferior in importance to Clonmacnoise, which that time was also the principal crossing point on the mid-Shannon. ln the twelfth century the balance swung in favour of Athlone with the rise to power of the first bridges and castle, and used the crossing to make frequent belligerent incursions into Meath. They also supported the church-reform movement by founding 3 Cluniac priory on the west bank of the river.
「❝894。A VICTORY WAS GAINED OVER THE CONNACHTMEN AT ATHL〇NE BY THE MEN OF WEST MEATH AND A SLAUGHTER OF HEADS LEFT BEHIND WITH THEM❞ ANNALS OF FOUR MASTERS」
【アイルランドの歴史書『フォア・マスターズ年代記(Annals of the Four Masters)』の一節】 894年。アスローンにおいて、ウェスト・ミースの人々がコノート人に勝利し、彼らに多くの 首を残していった(=大虐殺を行った)。 フォア・マスターズ年代記】
入り口ですぐに、古代のキリスト教のレリーフと後期(17世紀)の紋章のプレートが迎えてくれた。
Evangelist Slab (Early Christian)・伝道者石板(初期キリスト教)
Evangelist Slab (Early Christian) This sandstone slab of which the bottom half is missing, bears an elaborate ringed cross that is decorated with spirals and interlace. A unique feature is the depiction of the evangelists St. Mark and St. Luke on either side of the ring.
This slab is by far the most elaborate surviving commemorative stone of the Irish Early Christian period and clearly commemorated a person of considerable importance. This slab is inscribed OR DO. A further fragment, now in the collection of NMI, depicts St. Matthew and is inscribed MUIR which are clearly the opening letters of the deceased’s name, together with the letter M. Stylistically , the slab was the product of a school of accomplished stone carving, centred on the midlands in the late 9th and 10th centuries. 【伝道者石板(初期キリスト教) 下半分が欠損しているこの砂岩の板には、螺旋模様と絡み合った模様で装飾された精巧な 環状十字架が刻まれています。この十字架のユニークな特徴は、環状十字架の両側に福音記者の 聖マルコと聖ルカが描かれていることです。 この石板は、アイルランド初期キリスト教時代に現存する記念碑の中で、群を抜いて最も精巧な ものであり、明らかに重要な人物を記念したものとされています。この石板には「OR DO」 刻まれています。また、現在NMIのコレクションにあるもう一つの断片には、聖マタイが描かれ、「MUIR」と刻まれています。これは明らかに故人の名の頭文字と「M」を合わせたものです。 この石板の様式は、9世紀後半から10世紀にかけてミッドランド地方を中心に活躍した、熟練した 石彫刻の一派の作品です。】
中央にBRONZE SHIELD REPLICA A fortunate case of mistaken identity!A real treasure masqucrading as rubbish 【青銅の盾(複製品)幸運な誤認の一例! 本物の宝物が、まるでゴミのように見なされていたのです。】
1.Stone axeheads・石斧頭
3.Stone adze(Neolithic)・石斧
4.???
5.Bronze axehead
6.Bronze shield
建設当初・1800年以降の「Athron Castle・アスローン城」の姿か!?
Quern-stones・石臼(いしうす)
Pot-shaped rotary hand quern Rotary quern stones were first introduced into Ireland circa 150 BC. The device consists of two circular stones with matching surfaces, and is ‘pot-shaped’ where the lower quern has a raised edge or rim. Grain was fed into the hole in the centre of the top stone, which was rotated by a manually operated handle inserted near its edge. This process crushed the grain between the stones allowing the finished flour to trickle out through the slot in the rim of the lower quern. 【壺型の回転式手挽き臼(クォーン) 回転式の石臼は、紀元前150年ごろにアイルランドに初めて導入されました。 この装置は、表面が合うように作られた2枚の円形の石で構成されており、下の石臼に縁 (ふち)があることで“壺型”と呼ばれています。上の石の中央にある穴から穀物を投入し、 縁の近くに挿した取っ手を使って手で回転させます。 穀物は2枚の石の間ですり潰され、加工された粉は、下の石の縁に設けられた溝からこぼれ落ちる 仕組みになっています。】
在りし日の「Athron Castle・アスローン城」の絵画。
近づいて。
「CHANGES TO THE CASTLE Athlone is strategically important as the principal river crossing on the mid—Shannon. This was recognised by King Toirrdelbach ua Conchobair of Connacht,who built the first castle at Athlone to guard his new bridge. An Anglo-Norman motte or fortifieied mound on the west bank that followed had the same function.It formed the core of the present stone castle, originally started by the lrish governor,Justicia rJohn de Gray. On—going military and administrative use over the centuries brought many improvetnents and additions. The ca.stle's present appearance result from its remodelling as an artilldry platform and small barracks soon after 1800.」
「LONGBOW The longbows were one of the most devastating infantry weapons of the medieval warfare, at their most effective when discharged in a volley.Traditionary of yew and two metres long. the bow was cheap to make,but required a drawing power of a 100 pounds or more. Archers were trained from boyhood and expected to maintain their skills in peacetime. A good bowman could fire off five arrows per minute.with a range of 350 metres or more. The arrows,tipped with metal points that were sometimes barbed,could penetrate all but the best-quality steel plate armour.The longbow was particularly favoured by the English and was a major contributory to their success in pitched battles with the french and Scots.In Ireland,longbow loops are often visible in the defences of castles.Can you find one in the exterior wall of Athlone Castle? 」
Crossbows were short bows mounted horizontally on a stock.The bow was drawn by a mechanical device dischanged a short arrow,called a bolt,when a trigger was released. Its use did not require the lengthy train ning needed to develop the skill and strength to
draw and fire the longbow. This made crossbowmen more expensive weapon to manufacture,and its rate fire was much slower at about one bolt per minute. lts range, accuracy and penetrative power surpassed the longbow, especially after steel replaced the earlier timber bows. Crossbows were included in the stock of weapons in Athlone Castle in 13th century.」