The Tara Brooch The Tara Brooch dates back to the Eighth Century. It is the most famous piece of Celtic jewelry. Its unusual shape, combining a broad hoop with an elaborate swivelling pin, was found almost exclusively in Britain and Ireland. Crammed into its tiny space is a dazzling range of silver and gold metalworking techniques, including casting, enamelling, engraving, chip carving and filigree. The craftsman created a miniature network of interlacing, interspersed with the jaws and tails of fabulous animals and using amber and glass ornaments. The Tara Brooch is often compared with the designs of the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the most lavish Celtic manuscripts. Moreover, because the motifs were largely abstract, and contained no direct pagan reference, this type of Celtic artistry assimilated into Christianity. Similar artistry can be found on the Ardagh Chalice, on Celtic crosses (which also assimilated well, for obvious reasons) of the period, and in the Book of Kells. Sources: Personal knowledge and Irish Legends by Iain Zaczek. Gill & McMillan, Ltd. Dublin: 1998. Page updated 17 Jul 2008 Celtic Animals Background by Míchealín Dhochartaigh Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.