A man has been arrested by gardaí investigating the theft of an 800-year-old mummy's head from a Dublin crypt.

The relic was taken from St Michan's Church near Smithfield last month.

The crypt was badly damaged when vandals entered it sometime between February 23rd and 25th.

Several of the mummies were desecrated in the incident.

Earlier this week, the head of the Crusader mummy and another skull were found in a bag on the church grounds.

Anglican Archbishop of Dublin, Michael Jackson, said the skulls were "left in a place where the gardaí were able to make this recovery".

Yesterday, gardaí investigating the break-in and theft arrested a man in his 20s.

He's being held at Bridewell Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.