Annular Brooch
Ireland
Silver, gilt
Eight-Ninth Century, CE
Early Medieval, Celtic
11.4 cm
National Museum of Art, Dublin

This annular brooch is distinct in design, for it has a smaller head, yet a very long, horizontal pin.  In addition, this lengthy fastener is set on a diagonal, which differs from the traditional vertical and horizontal settings.  The pin and the head are very thin and less refined, giving the impression that the metalwork is inferior to that of similar type objects.  Another distinct element of this brooch is that the circumscribed area, or plate of the pin, is on the opposite side of the fastener pin.  There is a small area of open space where the terminals meet, almost forming a buckle within the circumscribed area.  A miniaturist pattern of swirls or of a running dog motif follows along the bottom of the head of the brooch. The brooch contains raised surfaces for knobbed stones, yet there are no stones present.  These settings probably contained colored glass, or enamel champlevé, which is a glassy material in a powdered form which fuses to recesses in metal backgrounds.  Either the glass or enamel broke off over time, or was removed before burial in order to be re-used.

Bibliography:
Johns, p. 15.