Description : The Golden Bog of Cullen is an archaeological site located in County Tipperary, Ireland. Discovered in the 18th century, it has been described as "one of the most important and prolific sites" in Ireland; unfortunately, it was discovered before modern methods of preservation and collection, and almost all of the finds were melted down. Eugene O'Curry speculated that the Bog was originally a wooded valley, used by goldsmiths due to its proximity to sources of wood for charcoal, as well as possibly a goldmine. He connected it with the ancient Cerdraigi, a Gaelic tribe whose name derives from cerd, an Old Irish term for a skilled craftsman, especially a worker in gold and silver. He also note the townland of Ballynagard located 5 miles (8.0 km) to the west: in Irish Baile na gCeard, "settlement of the goldsmiths." Their placement in the bog is possibly a form of ritual deposition. The culture that produced and deposited these items is thought to date to c. 2000–400 BC, during the Atlantic Bronze Age.
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