1 10 7 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/7554d0070f7971d0822ed322a247de0a.jpg 0d08d8a3d7d0fe82c5ab4c4abc8bc716 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Gundestrup Cauldron Description An account of the resource 1. The Gundestrup Cauldron is a circular vessel twenty-seven inches in diameter and seventeen inches in height. However, it is important to note that this a modern reconstruction: The Cauldron was discovered in fifteen separate pieces, including five inner and seven (out of a possible eight) outer plates, a base, and two lengths of tubular reinforcement. The Cauldron shows evidence of recycling (the plates may have been part of another container) and up to five separate rounds of repairs (the base contains a bridal ornament, which scholars believe served to plug a leak in the base). Judging by its fine craftsmanship and quality, the Cauldron was probably decorative, and may have been a diplomatic gift. 2. The Cauldron is beaten out of sheet silver, which is unusual for north-western Europe, where gold and bronze where far more common for large vessels. The idiosyncratic material of the Cauldron has led some scholars to believe that it has its origins south-eastern Europe, perhaps in Thrace, where silverwork on a large scale was far more common. Although a Thracian origin would mean that the Cauldron made a transcontinental journey, this is entirely possible, as there was a Celtic raid of Delphi in 279 B.C. and a continued Celtic presence in what is today Bulgaria from around the same period. Indeed, certain decorative details on the Cauldron make this likely: The antlered man’s crisscrossed shoelaces along with the appearance of elephants and a wheel-bearing god are markedly eastern and Thracian. 3, 4, 5. Peat-cutters working in a bog near the Danish town of Gundestrup discovered the deconstructed Cauldron on May 28, 1891. Shortly after the discovery the Danish government took possession of the Cauldron and placed it in the National Museum in Copenhagen. The context of the Cauldron is, in some ways, difficult to discover. Its discovery in a bog led some scholars in the 1890’s to believe that it may have been a bog offering, but early paleobotanical analysis of the ground where the Cauldron was found showed that the Cauldron was probably deposited there before the bog developed. Taking into consideration that the Cauldron was carefully deconstructed and then laid on dry ground, scholars now believe that someone may have been attempting to hide the Cauldron, perhaps intending to reclaim it at a later time. 6. The Cauldron was not found with any other objects, such as coins or shards of pottery, that would allow the deposit to be dated. In addition, the five separate sets of repairs to the Cauldron prove that it must have been in circulation long before it was abandoned. Thus, there is a wide range of scholarly estimates for the date of the manufacture of the Cauldron, from about 300 B.C. to 50 B.C., but there is some consensus that it was left near Gundestrup around the time of Christ or very shortly after. 7. The most significant design features of the Cauldron are the designs beaten into its inner and outer plates because they have inspired much debate about the origins of the Cauldron. As referenced above, some aspects of the designs are not Celtic, such as the shoelaces, the elephants, the wheel-bearing god, the ivy leaves in the background, Hercules and the Neman Lion, the boy on the dolphin, and the arguably Roman gods on the outer plates. Further, all of these designs are attested in Thracian art of the same period. However, there are some elements of the design that complicate this Thracian origin thesis. First, several of the figures on the Cauldron (including the antlered man) sport distinctively Celtic twisted torcs and other gear well-attested in contemporary Celtic art, such as long shields with circular devices, bird-crested helmets, a certain type of pants, and war trumpets. Second, one could read some of the gods as stylized representations of the Celtic pantheon. The antlered man could represent Cernunnos (although the only known representation of Cernunnos, a statue from Notre Dame, has horns instead of antlers) and the wheel-bearing god could represent the Celtic wheel god Taranis. Third, some scholars wonder if trans-continental trade and certain acts of war, such as Hannibal’s transalpine march, could account for the appearance of elephants on the Cauldron. 8. I personally see this object as an impressive work of silver-work with an especially interesting provenance. If the Cauldron does come from Thrace, then its designers must have deliberately made some aspects of their designs Celtic by adding the torcs and other Celtic aspects, which suggests to me that they must have intended it for a Celtic audience. Then the object made its way not into the Celtic world, but far into the Germanic north. Finally, the Cauldron was deconstructed and hidden for reasons no one can now tell. I wish I knew who made it and from whom, how it got to Gundestrup, and why it is hidden and forgotten. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource approx. 300- 50 B.C. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 17 in x 27 in, silver https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/762e6a53d5d336c5183cedd2f1bdda45.jpg 4e2c0fcd9ec9ab55e32efc0f0cfff53f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Broighter Torc Description An account of the resource The Broighter Torc / Buffer Torc The Broighter Torc is a collar like artifact, measuring about 7.5 inches (19cm) in diameter. It is made entirely of gold. It is believed to have been made in the 1st century BC. The Broighter torc was found in February 1896 by Thomas Nicholl and James Morrow. These two were ploughing a field close to the shores of Lough Foyle in the north of Ireland, which is now Northern Ireland. The two came across something hard that was buried in the ground. These items looked like they were made of metal. They also noticed that the items were ‘arranged inside one another’ (O’Neill 1993, p.24). They took the items home and washed them on a sink. Even at that moment, they were still unaware that the artifacts were made of gold. It is said that the maid who washed them later admitted that there might have been some smaller pieces that might have been washed away. (lost history!). The two told the landlord about their finding, who sold it to an antiquarian, who quickly also sold it to the British Museum for around 600 pounds (Claddagh Design) This hoard of gold artifacts contained a gold torc (broighter torc), a 7 inch long gold boat, a gold bowl and other jewellery. Design: The Broighter torc has been considered to be a masterpiece of artwork in the La Tene style (Waddell 1998, 294). The Broighter Torc consists of a hollow circular tube made from a hammered sheet of gold. It has separate buffer terminals that use a mortice and tenon like joint. The fastening at this joint consists of a T piece, which fits into the buffer slot of the torc when the torc is closed. This prevents it from opening (Wikipedia). The torc has a “sea-horse image” on its tubular gold sheet. It also has leaf and plant designs along the folded tubular gold sheet. The backgrounds is also covered with beautiful geometric curves. This design in uncharacteristic of the designs found in many other artifacts found in Ireland but quite similar to artifacts found in Britain. It is therefore believed that they were made by a local who had contacts in Britain. Purpose: At first, the British Museum concluded that the torc, together with it’s siblings was treasure that was buried with the intention of being discovered later, thereby claiming ownership of the hoard. A man named Arthur Evans filed to dispute the British Museum’s claim in which he argued that the hoard was strategically buried as some sort of sacrifice or gift to win over the Gods. This was highly supported by the presence of sea-horse image on the torc, the boat and also the burial site being very close to the sea. Torcs were considered to be jewellery by the Celts. They were mostly seen to be worn around the neck, most often in battles or rituals. Torcs were symbols of strength, status and wealth. The better the design, the more powerful the owner was. Conclusion: The broighter torc design is very unique, so unique such that it feels like it was made specifically for that purpose. Most other torcs, including neck and arm torcs which were made around the same era share the same design characteristics (curves, symbols of heads). I wish we had more information about the origin of the torc. Was it designed for the purpose of being buried as a gift to the Gods? Was there a powerful man once that deserved such a torc that might have symbolized a very high status? There are still uncertainties on this aspect. References: O’Neill, K. 1993. ‘The Broighter Hoard, or how Carson caught the boat’. Archaeology Ireland Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 24-26 Design, Claddagh. “Irish Treasures: The Broighter Hoard.” Claddagh Design, Claddagh Design, 19 Jan. 2017, www.claddaghdesign.com/history/irish-treasures-broighter-hoard/. Waddell, J. 1998. The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland, Wordwell, Dublin. Harding, Dennis William. The Archaeology of Celtic Art. Oxford University Press, 2007. Megaw, Ruth, and Vincent Megaw. Celtic art: from its beginnings to the Book of Kells. Thames & Hudson, 2001. Cunliffe, Barry W. The Ancient Celts. Oxford University Press, 1997. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available National Museum of Ireland Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1st Century BC Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Gold, 7.5 inches in diameter (19cm) https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/92e2a22c3011c411cb494ee011dbf41f.jpg 73a0d38307a0b23a8e78dfb5b7379007 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/3d5529d7c42bd0658fc4bfd7a0103bb6.jpg 65023e8d1f571094b09ba78fb1caabf2 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/78c4ce59282d09346d08bbf5e07da0a5.jpg a884b3ec030c6d8496343bf251ff973b https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/f2e702841d869802d3c5463b13f75d23.jpg fd50914e79a40de5e236dd978ffc7c77 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/502c8de2106cc20e540cc4e15fad187f.jpg 280d56192f12daea1cfa6f61cefc7150 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Basse-Yutz Flagons Description An account of the resource The Basse-Yutz Flagons are a pair of ceremonial drinking vessels. These flagons would have been used to pour beer, wine, or mead at feasts. According to the British Museum, where the flagons currently reside, the flagons are made out of a single sheet of bronze metal. Resin was used to coat the inside of the flagons making them completely watertight. Attached to each flagon are a cast spout and lid made from a bronze sheet and attached to the flagon with pins. Decorating the flagons are inlays of opaque red glass enamel from Asia Minor and precious coral from the Mediterranean coast. The two flagons are called the Basse-Yutz flagons because they were found in the town of Basse-Yutz, Moselle in eastern France. In 1927, they were discovered in the grave of an important Celtic dignitary during the course of a railway construction. However those that dug in the grave did so illicitly and without the help of trained archaeologists. Australian archaeologist Vincent Megaw describes the flagons as “great masterpieces” that “combine most of the key features of early Celtic Art” (Megaw 76). What draws the most attention are the animals on top. Simon James says that the animals “appear to be a pack of dogs chasing a duck” (James, 31). When wine is poured from the flagon, it runs down the spout and under the duck, which gives the illusion that the duck is swimming. The animals allude to hunting, which James describes as a favorite pursuit of the nobility. The inclusion of the duck itself is a very native element of the design, not found in pieces from other cultures. I personally would describe the flagons as endlessly intricate. When I first saw them, I was amazed by how well preserved they were. But as I looked closer and learned more, I began to notice the intricacies of the flagons: the interlacing, geometric pattern at the base, the coral inlays under the spout. What strikes me the most about these pieces is the intricate animals set on the top of the flagons. Both flagons have the same animals decorating the top, including the little duck. While clearly recognizable as certain animals, they appear to have a somewhat fantastical quality to them. For example, the dogs that form the handles of the flagons have miniature swirls decorating their bodies. Additionally, the dogs’ torsos have been drastically elongated in order to form the handle, but instead of the base of the handle being the rear end of the dog, the base is that of a human face. Could this dissolution from animal to human be a statement of how man is connected to animals? Or is this a way for the artist to honor the Celtic dignitary the flagons were made for? Like most people, I wish I knew more about its discovery. Since it was dug up illegally and without help from trained professionals, I wonder if there were any other artifacts that were buried with these flagons. Additionally, I would love to know more about how the Celtic people who made these got the red glass from Asia Minor and the coral from the Mediterranean. Were there other Celts in these areas that they traded with or did they have business relations with other peoples? Works Cited “The Basse-Yutz Flagons.” The British Museum, 2017, www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=827612&partId=1. James, Simon. The World of the Celts. Thames and Hudson, 2005. Megaw, Ruth and Vincent, Celtic Art: From Its Beginnings to the Book of Kells, 1989 (2001 2nd edn), Thames & Hudson Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The British Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Mid 5th century BCE Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Bronze, 40 cm https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/71219bc275b8e3e0f9d963dcd7b959a8.jpg 5f26072aaaad6e38cead133c7149badf https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/f21a841d4f94ffe8f18cf4754a82c1e6.jpg ffe16a9be72f601687104780322555c3 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/46f1d7deae9698f01ec941608f7494d0.jpg c44072717bae80dc9e1f627f6760da95 https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/c5901e9911958bb8365a1ef63ac64ef6.jpg 256f56dc57030c22c1bbcc3715f70593 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hochdorf Bronze Couch Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz "The Celtic Museum" Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 530-400 BC Late Hallstatt to early La Tène period Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Bronze 3 meters long (approx. 10 feet) 35 centimeters tall legs - 8 legs total (approx. 14 inches) Description An account of the resource The Hochdorf Bronze couch is an approximately 10-foot-long couch that dates back to the late Hallstatt to early La Tène period (530-400 BC). The bronze front and back of the couch are covered with incised scenes. The scenes consist of different combinations of wagons, horses, warriors, and dancing individuals. These scenes are significant as they confirm and emphasize the aspects of Celtic society that are obviously highly valued. Furthermore, there are 8 supporting legs of bronze and iron, and each leg is a person, 14 inches tall, riding a functional wheel. Though only the bronze work is preserved, the couch would have been adorned with a plethora of cushions and furs (University of Texas at Austin). Unfortunately, while the fabric had been preserved by bacteria-killing oxides produced by the metal, the fabric disintegrated when the tomb was opened and exposed to air (UNC - Chapel Hill). The burial tomb, in which the couch was found, was first discovered in Horchdorf, Germany in 1968 by Renate Leibfried, a volunteer representative of the State Antiquities and Monuments Office. After coming across stone fragments numerous times when plowing a field, she notified her office. Dr. Jörg Biel began the excavation after a decade long delay, due to high costs, in 1978; however, the delay allowed the dig to be carried out using the most modern archeological methods of the time (Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz). Unlike many other Celtic burial tombs, the Hochdorf tomb remained undisturbed for so long because the original mound (20 feet tall and 197 yards wide) had shrunk to only 3 feet tall (UNC - Chapel Hill). The recovered artifacts are now on display at the Keltenmuseum (or The Celtic Museum in English), not far from the mound itself. There were many other objects found with the couch. The wagon, gold shoes, daggers, drinking horns, and cauldron are evidence that the tomb was a princely grave for a “chieftain.” The skeleton found in the grave was lying on the couch. The man was 6 feet tall, incredibly tall for the iron age, and 40 years old at time of his death. While the couch was used in the burial, it is unclear what purpose, if any, it served before the man’s death. A theory is that the chieftain used it as furniture throughout his life. Celts are often portrayed as banqueting on the ground, thus any elevation is symbolic of that person’s leadership (University of Texas at Austin). This, however, is only speculation and can neither be confirmed nor denied. Personally, I see the couch as a tribute to the greatest of a fallen chieftain. A man of such physical stature would have been high revered in the Celtic culture that values strength and appearance above almost all else. Thus, the couch is just one way to honor his leadership. I find the carvings especially revealing as the inscriptions are of horses and warriors, which are very important to the Celts. Also, the legs with wheels are truly impressive and unique. It speaks to the level of craftsmanship of the Celts. I wish I knew if the couch served a purpose before being placed inside the tomb. Was the couch used as everyday furniture? Or was it constructed for the sole purpose of the burial? I believe that an answer to these questions would provide insight into the lifestyle and customs of the ancient Celtic people. Works Cited “The Discovery.” Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz, Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz, keltenmuseum.de/English/The-Celtic-Museum/The-Discovery/. “Hallstatt Elite Burials.” Celts, UNC - Chapel Hill, www.unc.edu/celtic/topics/burial/burial.html. “Hochdorf Bronze Couch.” Iron Age "Celts", University of Texas at Austin, 2009, www.laits.utexas.edu/ironagecelts/hochdorf3.php. https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/b9f180e1d3249353ef1220f3bb7eea49.jpg a8384fc872f7772b0968ddcba3b29d6a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Battersea Shield Description An account of the resource The Battersea Shield The Battersea Shield is a small shield covering (though it will henceforth be referred to as a “shield”). Although it appears to resemble a shield that Celtic warriors might have used in battle, it is more precisely a covering that would have sheathed a wooden shield. Scholars have concluded that it is too small and fragile to have ever been used in battle––It is about 2.5 feet long and 1 foot wide. Scholars instead believe that the shield was either created for prestigious display, or created as a votive offering––an object deposited somewhere like a river or a lake as an offering to a god. The shield’s main material is bronze, but it also features what is commonly referred to as “red-glass” or “enamel” inlays. The inlays are technically neither glass nor enamel, but rather glass heated to a spongy consistency that was pressed into the bronze backing. The shield is comprised of three distinct bronze pieces that are mounted on a back sheet (Harding 2007, p. 152). The shield was found in the Thames River, which supports the contention that it was created to serve as a votive offering. There were many other Roman and Celtic weapons, as well as human skeletons, found at the same site as the shield. Some scholars initially took this to indicate that the site where the shield was found was the location where Julius Caesar crossed the Thames during his invasion of Britain; however, now the shield is thought to have been deposited in the river before this event as a votive offering. The shield was discovered in the Thames during excavation for the Chelsea Suspension Bridge in London in 1857 (McNeill-Ritchie 2007). It is estimated that the shield was created during the Iron Age between 350 and 50 BC; it is difficult to pinpoint an exact date of creation because the shield does not stylistically resemble any other Celtic object found in Britain (The British Museum). The most immediately visible, and commonly noted, design elements are the three roundels, or small disks, that occupy the face of the shield. The high-domed boss, or knob, in the center of the shield is also cited as a significant design element. The boss is typical of the La Tène style, and was produced using the repoussé technique, meaning it would have been hammered in from the other side. The red-glass enamel circles and the spirals that surround them were also cited as significant features (The British Museum). S-scrolls flow around the circles in a way that suggests that the circles might be features of a human or animal face (Harding 2007, p. 152). The most salient aspect of the shield for me is the detail of the flowing S-curves. Their symmetry indicates a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. I find the shield to be very elegant––For this reason, it makes sense to me that it wouldn’t be used in battle. I could see the shield being showcased in the home of a powerful British Celtic family, or being disposed of in the Thames with great reverence. Conversely, I find it highly unlikely that such a richly detailed and decorated object would have been used as a protective surface that would have eventually been battered and beat down over the course of battle. I wish I knew how many of these objects were made; scholars have only ever found one, but I wonder how unique this item was. If this were a rare item, would owning it or offering it to a god be a marker of high status? I would also be curious about whether the S-curves that enclose the central boss are meant to represent a human or animal face, or neither. I find it difficult to see a face in the design, but if the curves were meant to represent a face, would that face be an abstract symbol, or a reference to a particular person or god? Finally, if the shield were a votive offering, for which god was it intended? Are there particular design elements––perhaps the red-glass enamel circles––that were created to specifically appease a certain god? Works Cited Harding, D. W. (2007). The archaeology of Celtic art. Abingdon: Oxford University Press. McNeill-Ritchie, S. (2014). Battersea through time. Stroud: Amberley. The British Museum. (n.d.). The Battersea Shield. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The British Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 350-50 BC https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/2bec738e14f871249f7ca3d9496d83b3.jpg 08166d9c8b8e6a79d06ec5a8c695d449 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Braganza Brooch Description An account of the resource The object is a gold fibula, or pin, most likely donned as an accessory for clothing. It is about 5.5 inches long. It is made out of gold, with the figures’ eyes originally inlaid with glass enamel. It was most likely found Spain. An exact find spot is not known. It has been assumed that the brooch was once part of a burial of treasure hoard. It was most likely made between 250-200BC (British Museum). There was is no documentation, archeological or otherwise, of its excavation. It is thought that the brooch was formerly in the collection of the Royal House of Braganza, perhaps in the collections of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, consort of Queen Maria of Portugal. In 1919, a duchess of the Braganza dynasty emigrated to America, and upon her death in 1941, the collection of jewels was sold to Warren Piper of Chicago. The brooch was then bought in 1950 by Thomas F. Flannery Jr. at the Warren Piper sale. The British Museum first examined it in 1965 and later acquired it in 2001 (British Museum). On one side, the brooch has an arched bow, with a somewhat abstract dog head on either end. The bow is decorated with 8 curls along the arch and an elaborate curved design on its sides. Then it has a long twisted foot of wire. Where the bow and the foot meet on one side, there is a boar’s head. On the other side, there is another dog head, and the upper body of another dog jumping onto the shield of a warrior. The warrior is naked except for his helmet, shield, and scabbard suspended from his waist. He is holding a sword that appears to be broken off. The hinge and pin of the brooch have been lost. The scabbard and pommel of the sword both resemble La Tène style art (British Museum). The hilt-end is convex, however, which is not a good fit for the style. This sword type is undocumented in France, Italy, or Spain. The trilobate style pommel however is known from earlier Iberian art (Quesada 148). The warrior’s helmet is thought to be modeled after some sort of Montefortino type helmet, which was Italo-Celtic (Quesada 144). The shield closely resembles a winged or band-plate boss, a common shield type in Gaul, Italy, and Iberia between 300 and 125 BC. The warriors shield is a small but structurally accurate model of one of these shields (Quesada 140-141). There are no literary sources that describe Celtiberians marching naked into battle, but many bronze naked warrior figures have been found in Andalusia and Murcia, so naked warriors were an iconographic and possibly symbolic figure (Quesada 152). The study of the warrior and his weapons has led some historians to guess that the brooch’s place of origin was the lower Ebro valley, where the most La Tène type weapons have been found in Iberia, and the scabbard suspension depicted on the warrior is common. This region also has produced other archeological finds that fit with the Greek or Hellenistic undertones of the brooch (Quesada 153). The detail and realism of the human and animals is not usually common in the La Tène style. It has been hypothesized that the brooch was made to depict a Celtiberian warrior by a Greek craftsman, possibly for an Iberian prince (British Museum). The lack of scientific documentation of the brooch’s excavation, along with its stylistic anomalies and lack of close comparisons from other excavated pieces means there is little solid historical context for the brooch. This has brought some art historians to question whether the evidence that current historical interpretations are based on is sufficient. They do not think there is strong enough evidence to state confidently that the brooch was once in the Braganza collections. Additionally, they find the assumption that the brooch was made by a Greek to be complete conjecture, lacking an any true archeological evidence (Simpson 29-32). In my personal analysis of the brooch, I find it incredibly intricate and showy, so much so that it could not be appreciated fully just being worn. It is also rather large for a pin. It would make more sense to me if it was in the burial or hoard of a wealthy warrior or noble. It also struck me how detailed and clear the depictions of the animals and warrior are. It seemed less abstract than other examples of La Tène art that I had seen. In my opinion, the animal heads were particularly striking and impressive. They have intricate details, especially in their mouths. I could definitely make out the two animal heads on the twisted wires to be a dog or wolf and some sort of boar or pig. I was less sure of the type of the other animals. I definitely understand how they look like dogs, but they also look somewhat like lions or lion-like beasts to me. The 8 decorative curls on the arch of the bow could even be interpreted as a sort of mane on the neck of one of the creatures. I wish I knew the details of the brooch’s original excavation to mare clearly understand its historical context. Additionally, I wonder if there is significance behind its design. I would love to know if the brooch was depicting a Celtiberian story or event that had to do with a warrior fighting off an attacking dog or beast. Works Cited British Museum Collection Database. “2001,0501.1” www.britishmuseum.org/collection, British Museum. Online. Accessed 10/20/2017. Quesada, Fernando, and Alicia Caveda Perea. The Braganza Brooch Warrior and His Weapons: The Peninsular Context. La Fíbula Braganza = The Braganza Brooch, Ediciones Polifemo, 2011, pp. 137–156. Simpson, Elizabeth. “Tall Tales: Celts, Connoisseurs, and the Fabrication of Archeological Context.” Source: Notes in the History of Art, vol. 24, no. 2, 2005, pp. 28–41. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23208111. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Currently on display at the British Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Most likely made between 250-200BC Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Dimensions - Height: 5 centimeters, Width: 14 centimeters, Depth: 2.5 centimeters Material - gold and glass https://s3.amazonaws.com/atg-prod-oaas-files/harvardcelts/original/d964c4f817d8fc4acc5e6d859659ce0a.gif 5e2cf52784b82251fbc4ae90cd52ed2f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Objects Project - Celtic 103 - Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Waldalgesheim torc Description An account of the resource The Waldalgesheim torc is a Celtic artifact from the 4th century BC. A torc is a necklace with an open bottom; they are one of the most common and distinctive relics from the Bronze Age Halstatt and La Tene cultures. (Cunliffe 89,121-124) Torcs were worn across the lands inhabited by ancient Celts, and archaeologists have found them in England, France, Germany, and the Danube River Valley, as well as in other locations of Celtic settlement. (James 11, 24) Additionally, the torc is one of the most prevalent symbols of Celtic culture in contemporary art. The Dying Gaul, a large sculpture in Pergamon, is the most famous example, but figurines depicting Celtic warriors with torcs can be found across the classical world. (Ibid., 34) The torc is made of gold; its diameter is 21.1cm, and it weighs 204.3g. (LAITS 2017) Torcs, especially from the La Tene period, are typically made of gold or copper, which makes this a consistent find with the archaeological record. The torc was found in Waldalgesheim, Germany by a farmer digging a hole for beets in 1869. The farmer was unaware of their significance, but a passing traveler noticed them and suggested they should be studied. (Waldalgesheim Chamber of Commerce 2017) Waldalgesheim is located in the Rhineland of Germany, which places it directly in the heartland of the La Tene culture. The Waldalgesheim find is part of a larger burial. In addition to the torc, a bronze flagon, golden bracelets or armbands, and an imported Etruscan bronze bucket were recovered. (Koch, 92-93) It is likely that the burial belonged to a woman due to the absence of warrior equipment. (Harding, 45) Due to the preponderance of precious metals in the grave, the current hypothesis of archaeologists is that the site is the burial place of a Celtic princess. (James, 108) While it is unusual to see such a well-adorned female grave during the classical period, there are several surviving examples of prominent Celtic female burials, such as the sixth century BC Vix grave and the recently-discovered third century BC Wetwang Slack Yorkshire cart burial. (Ibid., 67-68) The later examples of Boudica and Cartimandua in Britain, as well as the Maeve of Connaught legend in Ireland portray women obtaining power in Celtic society. These stories are reinforced archaeologically by the prevalence of opulent female burials. (Ibid., 67) The artifact is the archetype of the vegetal style of the La Tene culture. The vegetal style is a plant-derived pattern with strong Classical influences. (Ibid., 108) The most common pattern is the running tendril motif, which can be seen clearly on the ends of the torc and bracelets from the Waldalgesheim find. (Cunliffe, 119) The shift to this plant-based style from earlier Celtic art, which more prevalently featured animal and human head motifs, was likely precipitated by contact with the Classical Graeco-Roman world. The presence of an imported Etruscan bucket at the Waldalgesheim find underscores the likelihood that this area was in frequent trade contact with Italy, and therefore would have been influenced by Etruscan artistic styles. The similarity of Waldalgesheim, and other vegetal finds such as the helmets in Amfreville-sous-les-Monts, to Etruscan art engenders the hypothesis that this style began in the Celtic settlements in the Po Valley and then spread across the continental Celtic world. (Harding, 75, James, 108) Waldalgesheim style art has been found across Central Europe, from the Seine to the Danube, and it comprises a large portion of what is identified as La Tene art. (Kipfer 596) Bibliography Cunliffe, Barry. 2000. The Ancient Celts. London: Penguin Books. Harding, D.W.. 2007. The Archaeology of Celtic Art. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. James, Simon. 2005. The World of the Celts. London: Thames & Hudson. Kipfer, Barbara. 2000. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology. New York: Springer Koch, John. 2005. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. University of Texas at Austin. 2017. “Waldalgesheim.” Accessed October 24, 2017. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/ironagecelts/waldalgesheim3.php Waldalgesheim Chamber of Commerce. 2017. “Walgaldesheimer style.” Accessed October 24, 2017. http://www.waldalgesheim.de/fuerstengrab.html Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nick Lowell Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rheinischen Landesmuseum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 350-325 BCE