Londesborough Brooch
Londesborough Brooch | |
---|---|
Material | Silver |
Size | Diameter 10.6 cm, Length 24.2 cm, Weight 201 grammes |
Created | Late 8th Century or early 9th Century AD |
Place | Ireland |
Present location | British Museum |
Identification | 1888,0719.101 |
The Londesborough Brooch is a Celtic pseudo-penannular brooch from Ireland. Dating from the late eighth or early ninth century, it is a particularly elaborate example of a dress fastener dated to Ireland's artistic golden age, when objects such as the Tara Brooch and Ardagh Chalice were produced. Since 1888, it has been part of the British Museum's collection.[1]
Description
The brooch and pin were cast in silver, though the metal is heavily debased, and tests show it contains about 65% copper, 34% silver, with traces of lead and gold.[2] This might reflect an origin in melted-down late Roman coins. The pieces were thickly gilded on the front, and selectively on parts of the back of the head. The pin was cast in two pieces, head and shank, joined with a rivet. Both head and pin were ornamented with geometric and zoomorphic patterns and inset with amber pieces, some now missing. On the back of the head there are two blue glass studs near where the large terminal joins the hoop. There are many small differences between the decoration of the right and left sides of the head, although the overall impression is one of symmetry. Many details of the decoration recall the earlier Tara Brooch and the Breadalbane Brooch (the latter also in the British Museum). However, unlike most other very elaborate brooches of the type, the Londesborough Brooch lacks any gold filigree decoration, and aspects of the decoration recall larger pieces of church metal work such as shrines.[2]
Commission
The intricate decoration on precious metal and the large size of the brooch suggest it was made for a wealthy patron or religious leader in Ireland in the late eighth or early ninth centuries AD.[3] The pseudo-penannular form is typical of Irish brooches at this period; in a true penannular brooch there is a gap in the centre of the wide terminals ending the hoop through which the pin can pass. In the pseudo-penannular type the terminal sides are joined, here by two narrow bands, making the brooch less efficient as a fastener.[4]
Provenance
Little is known about the original circumstances of the brooch's discovery before it became part of Lord Londesborough's collection. The British Museum purchased the brooch in 1888. With the Tara Brooch in Dublin, and the Hunterston Brooch in Edinburgh, it is considered one of the finest of over 50 highly elaborate Irish Celtic brooches to survive.[5]
Notes
References
- Susan Youngs (ed), "The Work of Angels", Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork, 6th–9th centuries AD, catalogue #71, 1989, British Museum Press, London, ISBN 0-7141-0554-6 (most of the entry is quoted on the BM page, chopped about)
Further reading
- Harbison, Peter. The golden age of Irish art. London, Thames and Hudson, 1999
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| name = Celtic brooches | image = | title = Celtic brooch | listclass = hlist | titlestyle = background: #e0d3bc | groupstyle = background: #f3e9d4 | evenstyle = background: #fefcf6 | belowstyle = background: #e0d3bc | abovestyle = background: #e0d3bc | above =
| group1 = Extant | list1 =
- Ballinderry Brooch (late 6th or early 7th c)
- Tara Brooch (c. 710 to 750)
- Rogart Brooch (8th c)
- Londesborough Brooch (late 8th or early 9th c)
- Hunterston Brooch (8th c)
- Kilmainham Brooch (late 8th or early 9th c)
- Breadalbane Brooch (8th & 9th c)
- Ardagh Hoard (8th & 9th c)
- St Ninian's Isle Treasure (8th & 9th c)
- Roscrea Brooch (9th c)
- Penrith Hoard (10th c)
| group2 = Styles | list2 =
| group3 = Collections
| list3 =
- v
- t
- e
- Ballinderry Brooch (late 6th or early 7th c)
- Rinnegan Crucifixion Plaque (late 7th or early 8th century)
- Hunterston Brooch (c. 700)
- Book of Durrow (c. 700)
- Tara Brooch (c. 710-750)
- Lichfield Gospels (c. 730)
- Lindisfarne Gospels (c. 730)
- Ardagh Chalice (c. 750)
- Rogart Brooch (8th c.)
- Moylough Belt-Shrine (8th c.)
- St. Fillan's Crozier (8th c.)
- Book of Dimma (8th c.)
- Ruthwell Cross (8th c.)
- Breadalbane Brooch (8th c.)
- Monymusk Reliquary (8th c.)
- Stowe Missal (after 792)
- Tully Lough Cross (8th or 9th c.)
- Londesborough Brooch (8th or 9th c.)
- Derrynaflan Chalice (8th or 9th c.)
- Domnach Airgid (8th or 9th & 14 c.)
- Kilmainham Brooch (late 8th or early 9th c.)
- Book of Kells (9th c.)
- Book of Armagh (9th c.)
- Prosperous Crozier, (late 9th or early 10th c.)
- Muiredach's High Cross (9th or 10th c.)
- Kells Crozier (c. 9–11th c.)
- Ardboe High Cross (10th c.)
- Corp Naomh (10th and 15th c.)
- Soiscél Molaisse (c. 1001–1011)
- Clonmacnoise Crucifixion Plaque (late 10th or early 11th c.)
- Bell Shrine of St. Mura (11th c.)
- Breac Maodhóg (c. 11th c.)
- Shrine of Miosach (11th c.)
- Cathach of St. Columba (shrine: late 11th c.)
- Clonmacnoise Crozier (late 11th c.)
- River Laune Crozier (late 11th c.)
- Shrine of St. Patrick's Bell (c. 1094–1105)
- Lismore Crozier (c. 1100)
- Shrine of Saint Lachtin's Arm (c. 1120)
- Bell Shrine of St. Cuileáin (late-11th c.)
- Cross of Cong (early 12th c.)
- Shrine of St Patrick's Tooth (12th & late 14th c.)
- Raghnall Ó Floinn
- Peter Harbison
- Griffin Murray
- Rachel Moss
- Máire de Paor (d. 1994)
- George Petrie (d. 1866)
- Margaret Stokes (d. 1900)