Silver basin The silver basin (Ir. long) with the four golden birds around it may have symbolic or religious significance. Margaret Dobbs has noted the parallel of the three cups offered by Medb to the Ulster heroes in Fled Bricrenn. Each of these three cups had a bird of greater material value placed on the inside: the bronze cup was fitted out with a bird of findruine, the findruine one with a bird of gold and the gold cup with a bird of gems. Moreover, she points out a possible relationship to examples of late Hallstatt pottery and bronzeware from Central Europe in which figures of aquatic birds were attached to bowls or vases, whether they were specifically designed for religious ceremonies or conveyed religious ideas in more general contexts. She suggests that the literary image may preserve "a memory of well-worship and of rites performed there with sacred vessels marked with magic symbols", possibly against evil magic. Such religious practices and ritual vessels may have reached Ireland between about 600 and 300 BC, when immigration took place in Britain and Ireland. In the light of the sacred significance of swans in early Irish literature, Dobbs also notes the episode's possible relevance to Fúamnach's malevolent spells and Étaín's and Midir's transformation into the shape of swans.Dobbs, "The silver basin." pp. 202–3.
Silver basin The silver basin (Ir long) with the four golden birds around it may have symbolic or religious significance Margaret Dobbs has noted the parallel of the three cups offered by Medb to the Ulster heroes in Fled Bricrenn Each of these three cups had a bird of greater material value placed on the inside the bronze cup was fitted out with a bird of findruine the findruine one with a bird of gold and the gold cup with a bird of gems Moreover she points out a possible relationship to examples of late Hallstatt pottery and bronzeware from Central Europe in which figures of aquatic birds were attached to bowls or vases whether they were specifically designed for religious ceremonies or conveyed religious ideas in more general contexts She suggests that the literary image may preserve "a memory of well-worship and of rites performed there with sacred vessels marked with magic symbols" possibly against evil magic Such religious practices and ritual vessels may have reached Ireland between about 600 and 300 BC when immigration took place in Britain and Ireland In the light of the sacred significance of swans in early Irish literature Dobbs also notes the episode's possible relevance to Fúamnach's malevolent spells and Étaín's and Midir's transformation into the shape of swansDobbs "The silver basin" pp 202–3