found inside dolmen cairns in the region of Slieve na Calliagh in the County of Meath were claimed by E.A. Conwell to be 'brain balls' as described in historical sources and legend. Amongst stone balls discovered in the tombs in Meath Conwell also uncovered some which were initially soft, when discovered in the earth, but hardened on drying out after which it became possible to excavate them. He identified several in two tombs as being 'brain balls'. Of these several had been worn down to a smaller size, but he identified one as being better preserved. William Frederick Wakeman also found objects he ascribed to be 'brain balls' in a tomb in Old Connacht, Bray. Wakemen submitted a sample for analysis - the ball was approximately diameter, light yellowish, and friable, containing some harder material. The harder pieces were thought to be splinters of long bones and or vegetable charcoal on inspection under a microscope. The main body of the ball was made of amorphous cement, which gave an analysis of primarily calcium carbonate, plus calcium phosphate plus traces of iron. The analysis concluded that they were man made, but too soft to be used as weapons, and furthermore did not resemble 'brain balls' made from lime with varying proportions of sheep's brain and or powdered bone. Wakeman came to the conclusion that these balls were coprolites. Similar balls in Irish legends Sling shot balls made for a special purpose were known as caer-clis ('feat ball') or uball-clis ('feat apple') - they were made in a special way or with certain ingredients. An example is the tathlum made by the Tuatha Dé Danann from the "blood of toads, bears, and vipers, mixed up with sea-sand and hardened" - this ball was used by Lugh to kill Balor. See also Carved stone balls References Sources , 3 vols. , (Reissued: ) Archaeology of Ireland Archaeological artefact types