Hunterstone brooch
The Hunterstonfibel is a Celtic brooch of "pseudo-penannularen" type, in 1826 or 1830 near Hunterston in North Ayrshire in Scotland was found during the digging of trenches at the foot of Gold Berry Hills. It is located in the National Museum of Scotland , in Edinburgh .
The Hunterston brooch ( English Hunterston brooch ) was made of silver in the first decades of the 8th century, set with pieces of amber (most of them are missing) and adorned with entwined carcasses made of gold filigree . The diameter of the ring is 12.2 cm. In the middle there is a cross and a golden aureole, which represent the risen Christ, surrounded by small bird heads. The broken pin needed to attach it; can move freely around the ring up to the clamps. It is now 13.1 cm long, but was originally at least 15 cm long.
- Celtic fibulae
Hunterston
Hunterston
Hunterston - Detail of the needle head
Tara primer
Londesborough Primer
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The fibula may have been made in Dunadd in Argyll and Bute , although it is more suited to Ireland as its pseudo-penannular shape is typical of Irish fibulae, while the penannular shape is common with Pictish fibulae. Lloyd (born 1944) and Jennifer Laing believe it was made in Dalriada . The Museum of Scotland says: “The style of the brooch has Irish parallels, while the filigree is reminiscent of English metalwork.” On the other hand, its style is comparable to a fragment of a penannular brooch found in Dunbeath in 1860, which was probably made in Scotland. The mobile artisans may have used popular local shapes.
The brooch has a complex design that is typical of the elaborate Irish brooches. Filigree plates were created separately on gold dishes, which were then inserted into the main body made of gold-plated silver. Four silver gilding plates were also inserted on the back. As with the Tara brooch , the decoration on the back uses older curvilinear "Celtic motifs", which go back to the island Celtic decoration in the Latène style that also appear on the front of the Hunterston brooch .
The back of the fibula bears a scratched runic inscription, probably from the 10th century: "Melbrigda owns this fibula". Maél Brigda, ( German follower of Bridgit ), is a common Gaelic female name (the Celtic goddess), which is considered male in some sources. Late ownership inscriptions are not uncommon on Celtic fibulae. The Hunterston Primer is an object of high standing, indicative of the power and prestige of its owner. With the Tara brooch in Dublin and the Londesborough brooch in the British Museum, it is considered one of the finest of over 50 sophisticated Celtic brooches that survived and is believed to be the oldest of the ornate brooches from Great Britain and Ireland.