Front matter

THE ANTIQUARY’S BOOKS

GENERAL EDITOR: J. CHARLES COX, LL.D., F.S.A.

CELTIC ART IN PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN TIMES

BY

J. ROMILLY ALLEN, F.S.A.

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS

METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON

First Published in 1904

CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface xv

CHAPTER I

The Continental Celts and How they Came to Britain 1

CHAPTER II

Pagan Celtic Art in the Bronze Age 22

CHAPTER III

Pagan Celtic Art in the Early Iron Age 61

CHAPTER IV

Pagan Celtic Art in the Early Iron Age 90

CHAPTER V

Pagan Celtic Art in the Early Iron Age 129

CHAPTER VI

Celtic Art of the Christian Period 162

CHAPTER VII

Celtic Art of the Christian Period 232

CHAPTER VIII

Celtic Art of the Christian Period 254

Index 305

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

PAGE

The Hallstatt Sword 8

Ornament on bronze sword-sheath from La Tène 11

Gaulish helmet of bronze from Gorge-Meillet 12

Chevron patterns of the Bronze Age 27-36

Bronze spear-heads ornamented with rows of dots 39

Gold lunula from Killarney 40

Longitudinal section of chamber and passage of Tumulus

at Newgrange, Co. Meath 45

Plan of chamber and passage of Tumulus at Newgrange, Co. Meath 47

Spiral ornament at Newgrange, Co. Meath 48

Slab with spiral ornament outside entrance to passage of

Tumulus at Newgrange, Co. Meath 49

Spiral ornament on bronze axe-head from Denmark 51

Bronze axe-head with spiral ornament from Sweden 52

Winding-band (curved swastika), sculptured on rock near

Ilkley, Yorkshire 58

Cup-and-ring sculptures on rock at Ilkley, Yorkshire 59

Bronze sword-sheaths from Hunsbury 97

Silver-gilt fibulæ found in Northumberland 104

Bronze beaded torque from Lochar Moss, Dumfriesshire 112

Late-Celtic bronze spoon from Brickhill Lane, London 119

Late-Celtic bronze spoon from Crosby Ravensworth, Westmoreland 119

Late-Celtic spoon, one of a pair, from Weston, near Bath 120

Late-Celtic urns from Shoebury, Essex 123

Late-Celtic bronze mirror from Trelan Bahow, Cornwall 131

Bronze sword-sheath from Hunsbury 132

Late-Celtic pottery from the Glastonbury Lake Village 142

Late-Celtic wooden tub found at the Glastonbury Lake Village 147

Handles of pair of Late-Celtic spoons from Weston, near Bath 147

Engraved bone object from Slieve-na-Caillighe, Co. Meath 150

Fibula of bronze-gilt from Æsica 152

Collar from Broighter, Limavady, Co. Londonderry 153

Spiral ornament in illuminated MS copied from repoussé metalwork 154

Shading of parallel lines 156

Cross-hatching placed diagonally 156

Cross-hatching placed diagonally, with dots 157

Cross-hatching of double lines placed diagonally 157

Chequerwork grass-matting shading 157

Engine-turned shading 158

Dotted shading 158

Swastika design on shield from the Thames 159

Engraved ornament found at the Glastonbury Lake village 161

Handles of bronze bowl found at Barlaston, Staffordshire 166

Handle of bronze bowl from Chesterton-on-Fossway, Warwickshire 167

Handle of bronze bowl from Chesterton-on-Fossway, Warwickshire 168

Spiral ornament from the Book of Durrow 169

Cross-slab from Pen-Arthur, Pembrokeshire 181

Erect cross-slab at St. Madoes, Perthshire 183

Cross at Penmon, Anglesey 185

Great wheel-cross of Conbelin at Margam Abbey, Glamorganshire 187

Cross at Neuadd Siarman, near Builth, Brecknockshire 189

Cross at Nevern, Pembrokeshire 191

Pin-brooch from Clonmacnois, King’s Co. 221

Pierced marble screen at Ravenna 245

Regular plaitwork without any break 259

Method of making breaks in plaitwork 259

Regular plaitwork, with one vertical break and one horizontal break 260

Six-cord plait, with horizontal breaks at regular intervals 260

Cross-shaft at Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire 261

Cross-shaft at Llantwit Major, Glamorganshire 261

Eight-cord plaits, with cruciform breaks 262, 263

Six-cord plait, with cruciform breaks 264

Ten-cord plait, with cruciform breaks 264

Knots derived from a three-cord plait 264

Diagrams of knotwork 265, 266

Method of deriving knots Nos. 3 and 6 from a four-cord plait 267

Knots Nos. 4, 5, 7, and 8 derived from a four-cord plait 268

Knot No. 1, derived from either a three-cord or a six-cord plait 268

Knots 3 and 4, derived from a six-cord plait 269

Evolution of knot No. 1 from a six-cord plait 269

Evolution of knot No. 7 from an eight-cord plait 271, 272

Diagrams of knotwork 273

Knotwork from Ramsbury, Wilts, and Nigg, Ross-shire 274

Circular knotwork from Tarbet, Ross-shire 276

Circular knotwork from Monasterboice, Co. Louth 276

Triangular knotwork from Ulbster, Caithness 277

Triangular knotwork from Dunfallandy, Perthshire 278

Key-patterns 280, 282

Shaft of cross of Eiudon at Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire 283

Erect cross-slab at Rosemarkie, Ross-shire 284

Methods of connecting spirals 285

Tree key-pattern, Meigle, Perthshire 286

Key-pattern border from the Book of Kells 287

Method of connecting spirals 288

LIST OF PLATES

I. Grave of a Gaulish warrior at Sesto-Calende, Italy To face page 8

Bronze fibulæ of La Tène type from the cemeteries

of the Marne

II. Bronze armlet of the La Tène period from Germany ” 10

Bronze armlet of the La Tène period from Longirod (Vaud)

Bronze armlet of the La Tène period from the cemeteries

of the Marne

III. Gaulish helmet of bronze from Berru (Marne) ” 12

IV. Cinerary urn of Bronze Age from Lake, Wilts, ” 22

now in the British Museum. Height 1 ft. 3¼ ins.

V. Bronze Age urn of “Incense-Cup” type from Aldbourne, Wilts, ” 24

now in the British Museum. Height 3½ ins.

Bronze Age urn of “Food-Vessel” type from Alwinton,

Northumberland, now in the British Museum. Height 5 ins.

VI. Bronze Age urn of “Drinking-Cup” type from Lakenheath, ” 26

Suffolk, now in the British Museum. Height 7½ ins.

VII. Spiral ornament on stone ball from Towie, Aberdeenshire, ” 58

now in the Edinburgh Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

Winding-band curved swastika on sword-hilt from Denmark

Bronze sword-hilt with winding-band pattern from Denmark

Bronze sword-hilt with spiral ornament from Denmark

VIII. Bronze mirror from Birdlip, Gloucestershire, now in the ” 68

Gloucester Museum. R. W. Dugdale, photo

IX. Iron dagger with bronze hilt and sheath from the River Witham ” 92

X. Bronze harness-rings from Polden Hill, Somersetshire, ” 94

now in the British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

XI. Late-Celtic bronze fibula from Walmer, Kent, now in the ” 98

British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

Late-Celtic fibula from Ireland, now in the

Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin

Enamelled bronze fibula from Risingham, Northumberland,

now in the Newcastle Museum

Bronze fibula from Water Eaton, Oxon, now in the

British Museum. Scale ¼ linear

XII. Bronze fibula from Clogher, Co. Tyrone, now in the ” 100

British Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

Late-Celtic bronze fibula (locality unknown), now in the

British Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

S-shaped enamel bronze fibula (locality unknown), now in the

British Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

S-shaped fibula of enamelled bronze from Norton, E. Riding

of Yorkshire, now in the British Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

XIII. Bronze fibula from Polden Hill, Somersetshire, now in the ” 102

British Museum, side view. Scale ¾ linear

Bronze fibula from Polden Hill, Somersetshire, now in the

British Museum, front view. Scale ¾ linear

Bronze fibula from River Churn, now in the

British Museum, front view. Scale 1/1 linear

Bronze fibula from River Churn, now in the

British Museum, side view. Scale 1/1 linear

XIV. Bronze hook-and-disc ornament from Ireland, now in the ” 108

Dublin Museum

Bronze pin enamelled from Danes’ Graves near Driffield, Yorkshire

Bronze disc fibula with Late-Celtic ornament from Silchester, now

at Strathfieldsaye House. S. Victor White, of Reading, photo

XV. Bronze beaded torque from Mowroad, near Rochdale. Scale ¾ linear ” 110

Bronze collar from Wraxhall, now in the Bristol Museum

XVI. Bronze armlets from the Culbin Sands, now at Altyre, ” 112

near Forres, N.B.

XVII. Late-Celtic bronze mirror in the Mayer Museum, ” 114

Liverpool (locality unknown)

XVIII. Late-Celtic pottery from Hunsbury, now in the Northampton ” 122

Museum

XIX. Late-Celtic pottery from Yarnton, Oxfordshire, ” 124

now in the British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

Late-Celtic pottery from Kent’s Cavern near Torquay, Devonshire,

now in the British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

XX. Granite monolith with Late-Celtic sculpture at Turoe, ” 128

Co. Galway. Height of stone 4 ft.Reproduced from

a photograph by Mr. A. McGoogan illustrating

Mr. George Coffey’s paper in the

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy

XXI. Cruciform harness-mounting of bronze enamelled ” 136

(locality unknown),now in the British Museum. Scale 1/1 linear

Bronze enamelled harness-mounting from Polden Hill,

Somersetshire, now in the British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

XXII. Upper part of bronze sword-sheath from Lisnacroghera Co., ” 148

now in the British Museum

Lower part of bronze sword-sheath from Lisnacroghera Co.,

now in the British Museum

XXIII. Handle of Late-Celtic bronze tankard, Trawsfynydd, Merionethshire ” 150

now in the Mayer Museum, Liverpool

Bridle-bit of bronze enamelled, from Rise near Hull,

now in the British Museum. Scale ½ linear

XXIV. Detail of ornament on Late-Celtic bronze shield from the Thames ” 152

at Battersea, now in the British Museum

XXV. Circular disc of bronze with repoussé ornament from Ireland, ” 154

now in the British Museum

Bronze enamelled harness-ring from Westhall, Suffolk,

now in the British Museum. Scale ¾ linear

XXVI. Cast of metal object (locality unknown) from the Albert Way ” 170

Collection, now in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries,

Burlington House

Cover of the Stowe Missal, in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy,

Dublin (A.D. 1023 to 1052)

XXVII. Erect cross-slab in Aberlemno Churchyard, Forfarshire. ” 184

John Patrick, of Edinburgh, photo

XXVIII. Bronze bell with engraved ornament from Lough Lene Castle, ” 202

Co. Westmeath, in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy

XXIX. The shrine of the bell of St. Patrick’s Will, in the Museum of the ” 204

Royal Irish Academy, Dublin (A.D. 1091 to 1105)

XXX. Head of the Lismore crozier at Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford ” 206

(A.D. 1090 to 1113)

XXXI. Celtic quadrangular bell of bronze with zoömorphic handles from ” 210

Llangwynodl Church, Carnarvonshire, now in the possession

of Corbet Yale-Jones Parry, Esq., of Madryn Castle, Pwllheli.

Mr. Morgan Evans, of Pwllheli, photo.

Bronze reliquary from Lower Lough Erne, now in the possession

of T. Plunkett, Esq., of Enniskillen.

7 ins. long by 5⅞ ins. high by 3½ ins. wide.

R. Welch, of Belfast, photo.

XXXII. Bronze fibula with plaitwork and Late-Celtic ornament from the ” 216

Ardakillen Crannog, near Strokestown, Co. Roscommon,

now in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin

Detail of ornament on the underside of the foot of the Ardagh chalice,

in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin

XXXIII. Silver penannular brooch from Ireland, now in the British Museum. ” 222

Scale ¾ linear

XXXIV. Biskra woman wearing a pair of penannular brooches, ” 224

the ends of the pins pointing upwards

XXXV. Details of ornaments on the Tara brooch ” 226

XXXVI. Details of ornaments on the Tara brooch ” 228

XXXVII. Details of ornament on the Tara brooch, ” 230

in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin

XXXVIII. Circular knotwork on slab in church of Sta. Sabina, Rome ” 244

Doorway of the chapel of S. Zeno in the church of S. Prassede,

showing broken plaitwork on jambs (A.D. 772 to 795)

XXXIX. Key pattern, S. Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna Vine scrolls, ” 246

S. Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna

XL. Plaitwork of Romano-British pavement at Lydney Park, ” 258

Gloucestershire

Plaitwork in ciborium in the church of San Clemente,

Rome (fifth century)

XLI. Erect cross-slab from Collieburn, Sutherland, now in the ” 274

Dunrobin Museum

XLII. Detail of ornament on erect cross-slab at Nigg, Ross-shire ” 276

XLIII. Four men placed swastika fashion on recumbent pavement ” 288

at Meigle, Perthshire. Scale ⅛ linear

Spiral ornament on fragment of sculptured stone from Tarbet,

Ross-shire, now in the Edinburgh Museum

XLIV. Detail of ornament on erect cross-slab at Nigg, Ross-shire ” 292