Stories
The Shrine of St Patrick's Hand
Learn about the 14th-century Shrine of St. Patrick's Hand with Curator of Archaeology, Niamh Baker. The shrine is still used today during mass on St. Patrick’s Day in St. Patrick’s Parish, Belfast.
How did they do that?
One of the fascinating aspects of the past is pondering on how things were made without the aid of modern technology.
Browse our archaeology collectionImagine the skill needed to make objects of gold jewellery like the Inch bulla and the Corrard torc on display in the Ulster Museum.
The Inch Bulla
This bulla, found at Inch near Downpatrick, is 3cm in length. It was probably worn around the neck like a locket, and has many tiny strands of gold wire. These strands are difficult to count with the naked eye and seemingly impossible to make without the aid of a Bronze Age magnifying glass!
The Corrard Torc
This torc would have originally have formed a hoop, perhaps worn around the neck or waist before being twisted like a coiled spring prior to burial.
Metalsmith Brian Clarke, from Wicklow, has been experimenting on reproducing the technique of preparing a metal bar and twisting it, giving the torc its fusilli pasta-like appearance.
