In a Porridge Box, an Ancient Treasure Mysteriously Arrives in Dublin

They arrived in a Flahavan’s porridge box, their gnarled edges tightly wedged into rudimentary, makeshift foam packaging, shaky pen marks still visible from where the sender had outlined their shape: two paddle-shaped copper ax heads, their hand-carved edges long since dulled by time — 4,000 years’ worth.

“It was addressed to me,” said Matt Seaver, an assistant keeper in the antiquities division of the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

So began a mystery that has befuddled the museum and its staff, which received the archaeological treasures in late June and subsequently confirmed their authenticity. The Bronze Age ax heads are a significant discovery, Mr. Seaver said. But its hard to say much else without the details.

“You’re talking about two early Bronze Age copper ax heads, possibly even older than 2300 B.C.,” Mr. Seaver said. “They’re intentionally placed in the ground. By archaeologically excavating the location of that find spot, you could reveal a lot more than just taking them out of the ground.”

The package was sent anonymously, accompanied by a letter that explained the finder hoped the artifacts could be preserved in the museum. It explained they had been found with a metal detector in County Westmeath, the geographic heart of the island and site of the kingdom of Meath. Within the county’s borders are some of Ireland’s most sacred sites, including the Hill of Uisneach, regarded as the island’s ancient center.

It’s a complicated circumstance in Ireland, where the earth is riddled with ancient treasures and rich history. Unlike some other parts of Europe and the United Kingdom, Ireland forbids the independent search or excavation of antiquities, especially via metal detector. Most countries allow the use of the machines recreationally on public land or with the permission of private owners, with preservation rules requiring finders to notify the authorities if they find something archaeologically significant.