Tara Brooch

Made under the new Christian influences, the Tara Brooch is a circle of cast silver gilt covered with sheets of gold foil, and beautifully decorated with beads. The design is miniaturist in detail and is complemented by four raised knobs, presumably amber or glass. The patterns running along the surface are gold filigree with interlace. The brooch adopts stylistic elements from the La Tène tradition, in its appropriation of animal heads and silver and copper intaglio design on the underside. It is noted that originally the underside was a copper red set against a silver background.

All of this in a piece less than 2 inches in diameter! It dates from the 8th century approximately. The monasteries at this time became great centers of cultural activity and were responsible for many of the treasures we now regard as important pieces, the Book of Kells, Ardagh Chalice and so on.

Although given the name the Tara Brooch, this Irish national treasure was not found at Tara, but was found at Bettystown, County Meath. The discovery at Bettystown resulted from the collapsing of cliffs due to wave erosion. A jeweler who studied the brooch is credited with the misnomer. Given the exquisite nature of the brooch it is not surprising that it was thought to come from Tara, since Tara was the official residence of the High kings of ancient Ireland.

The Tara Brooch is an annular brooch, synonymous with the term ring brooch. It is termed an annular brooch since its ring completes a full circle and closes in on itself. The brooch was recently restored at the laboratories of the British Museum in London where they identified minute details of human heads as well.

The Tara brooch epitomizes the high quality among Irish brooches of the Early Medieval period. This brooch has served as a prototype of eighth century skill in jewelry making, and has been copied many times. This surviving brooch is one of a pair of brooches. Brooches were often worn in pairs, linked by a chain, in order to hold a cloak on the shoulders.

"This is one of the masterpieces of the Early Christian epoch: the simplicity of its general outline counterpoints an amazing complexity of techniques and assemblage of materials--gold, silver copper, amber, glass, enameling, filigree, wire-beading, granulation, inlaiyng and soldering are all used." Frank Mitchell, Treasures of Irish Art.

Here's a great site with a lot more detailed information:
http://artcafenetwork.net/ah/tarabrooch/index.html

Resource: http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/brooches/tara.html