This is the story behind the Litter Press logo.
The image is based on a reconstruction of a whale-bone plaque found during an archaeological excavation of a site at Cherrywood in County Dublin.
This doesn’t look like much but originally it would have part of a much larger piece. Carved from whale bone, it forms part of a plaque which typically has two facing heads, representing sea serpents, or dragons or possibly horses. The whole object would be about the size of a chopping board. It’s purpose is unclear.
The original find was expertly drawn and recorded by the late Simon Dick and his illustration was the basis of the following reconstruction produced by John Ó Néill.
The object is now held the National Museum of Ireland.
A paper on the Cherrywood was published in the Medieval Dublin journal (volume VII) and is mentioned in various publications including the recent Cambridge History of Ireland, Volume 1.
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