The Ardagh Hoard, best known for the Ardagh Chalice, is a hoard of metalwork from the 8th and 9th centuries. Found in 1868 by two young local boys, Jim Quin and Paddy Flanagan, it is now on display in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. It consists of the chalice, a much plainer stemmed cup in copper-alloy, and four brooches — three elaborate pseudo-penannular ones, and one a true pennanular brooch of the thistle type; this is the latest object in the hoard, and suggests it may have been deposited around 900 AD.[1]
The chalice ranks with the Book of Kells as one of the finest known works of Insular art, indeed of Celtic art in general, and is thought to have been made in the 8th century AD. Elaborate brooches, essentially the same as those worn by important laypeople, appear to have been worn by monastic clergy to fasten vestments of the period.
The hoard was found in late September 1868 by two boys, Jim Quin and Paddy Flanagan, digging in a potato field on the south-western side of a rath (ring fort) called Reerasta, beside the village of Ardagh, County Limerick, Ireland. Flanagan remained in Ireland and is buried in the Pauper's Graveyard in Newcastle West. Quin emigrated to Australia, spending his later years in Melbourne. He is buried in Fawkner Memorial Park in the city following his death there in 1934.
The chalice held the other items, covered merely by a slab of stone; the pieces must have been interred in a hurry, probably temporarily, as though the owner probably intended to return for them at a later time. The age of the brooches found with the chalice is evidence that it was not buried until the Viking period. It was sold to George Butler, Catholic Bishop of Limerick, by Quin's mother.
Chalice
The chalice seen from below
The chalice is a large, two-handled silver cup, decorated with gold, gilt bronze, brass, lead pewter and enamel, which has been assembled from 354 separate pieces; this complex construction is typical of early Christian Irish metalwork. The main body of the chalice is formed from two hemispheres of sheet silver joined with a rivet hidden by a gilt-bronze band. The width across its rim is 7.5 inches (190 mm).[2] The names of the apostles are incised in a frieze around the bowl, below a girdle bearing inset gold wirework panels of animals, birds, and geometric interlace. Techniques used include hammering, engraving, lost-wax casting, filigreeapplique, cloisonné and enamel. Even the underside of the chalice is decorated (photo above).
According to the art historian Lawrence Stone (writing before the discovery of the Derrynaflan Hoard): "Here the Irish artist has shown a capacity for classical restraint by a deliberate decision to prevent the ornamentation from spreading so copiously as to blur the proportions... contrasting markedly with the lavish ornamental spread of the almost contemporary Tara Brooch and the still more elaborate systems of the later period. The bulk of the decoration consists of exquisitely drawn spiral or interlace patterns, given depth by the soldering of two layers of gold thread one on top of the other. At intervals are set cloisonné enamel bosses of blue and red, the complicated manufacture of which shows direct continuity with the Anglo-Saxon jewellers' craft of the preceding century. But apart from the extraordinary perfection of execution of this elaborate decoration, what gives to the Ardagh Chalice its outstanding position in Irish metalwork is the strictness of the relationship between the simple swelling lines of the cup and its base and the arrangement of the glittering studs, bands, and roundels that adorn its surface."[3] The standard monograph is L.S. Gógan, The Ardagh Chalice.
The chalice is similar to the only other major early Irish example to survive, the Derrynaflan Chalice, found in the neighbouring County Tipperary. That was found with a paten and liturgical strainer. At that time the ruling dynasty in Tipperary and most of Munster were the Eóganachta, while their allies and possible cousins the Uí Fidgenti ruled in the Limerick area (see Byrne 2001; Begley 1906). Although the early suggestion that the chalice was fabricated at Clonmacnoise and stolen from there by a Limerick Dane is widely circulated, this is unprovable. A Munster origin is just as likely if not more so given the 1980 discovery of the sister Derrynaflan Hoard. A Clonmacnoise origin is not mentioned at the National Museum of Ireland website.[4]
"NMI": Wallace, Patrick F., O'Floinn, Raghnall eds. Treasures of the National Museum of Ireland: Irish AntiquitiesISBN0-7171-2829-6
Stone, Lawrence. Sculpture in Britain: The Middle Ages, 1955, Penguin Books (now Yale History of Art)
Further reading
Begley, John, The Diocese of Limerick, Ancient and Medieval. Dublin: Browne & Nolan. 1906.
Bhreathnach, Edel, "The cultural and political milieu of the deposition and manufacture of the hoard discovered at Reerasta Rath, Ardagh, Co. Limerick", in Mark Redknap (ed.), Pattern and Purpose in Insular Art. Oxbow Books. 2001.
Byrne, Francis J., Irish Kings and High-Kings. Four Courts Press. 2nd edition, 2001.
Duffy, Seán (ed.), Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. 2005.
Gógan, Liam S., The Ardagh Chalice. Dublin. 1932.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ardagh Hoard.
The Discovery of the Ardagh Chalice, Raghnall Ó Floinn, 2019 podcast
, Diocese of Limerick Heritage Project
Treasures of early Irish art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., an exhibition catalogue from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on the Ardagh Hoard (cat. no. 33,34,40)
December 31, 2022
ardagh, hoard, best, known, ardagh, chalice, hoard, metalwork, from, centuries, found, 1868, young, local, boys, quin, paddy, flanagan, display, national, museum, ireland, dublin, consists, chalice, much, plainer, stemmed, copper, alloy, four, brooches, three,. The Ardagh Hoard best known for the Ardagh Chalice is a hoard of metalwork from the 8th and 9th centuries Found in 1868 by two young local boys Jim Quin and Paddy Flanagan it is now on display in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin It consists of the chalice a much plainer stemmed cup in copper alloy and four brooches three elaborate pseudo penannular ones and one a true pennanular brooch of the thistle type this is the latest object in the hoard and suggests it may have been deposited around 900 AD 1 Ardagh HoardThe Ardagh Hoard on display in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin 2010MaterialCopper alloyCreated8th centuryDiscovered1868Ardagh Fort Ardagh IrelandPresent locationNational Museum of Ireland DublinThe chalice ranks with the Book of Kells as one of the finest known works of Insular art indeed of Celtic art in general and is thought to have been made in the 8th century AD Elaborate brooches essentially the same as those worn by important laypeople appear to have been worn by monastic clergy to fasten vestments of the period Contents 1 Find 2 Chalice 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksFind Edit The Ardagh Chalice centrepiece of the hoard The hoard was found in late September 1868 by two boys Jim Quin and Paddy Flanagan digging in a potato field on the south western side of a rath ring fort called Reerasta beside the village of Ardagh County Limerick Ireland Flanagan remained in Ireland and is buried in the Pauper s Graveyard in Newcastle West Quin emigrated to Australia spending his later years in Melbourne He is buried in Fawkner Memorial Park in the city following his death there in 1934 The chalice held the other items covered merely by a slab of stone the pieces must have been interred in a hurry probably temporarily as though the owner probably intended to return for them at a later time The age of the brooches found with the chalice is evidence that it was not buried until the Viking period It was sold to George Butler Catholic Bishop of Limerick by Quin s mother Chalice Edit The chalice seen from below The chalice is a large two handled silver cup decorated with gold gilt bronze brass lead pewter and enamel which has been assembled from 354 separate pieces this complex construction is typical of early Christian Irish metalwork The main body of the chalice is formed from two hemispheres of sheet silver joined with a rivet hidden by a gilt bronze band The width across its rim is 7 5 inches 190 mm 2 The names of the apostles are incised in a frieze around the bowl below a girdle bearing inset gold wirework panels of animals birds and geometric interlace Techniques used include hammering engraving lost wax casting filigree applique cloisonne and enamel Even the underside of the chalice is decorated photo above According to the art historian Lawrence Stone writing before the discovery of the Derrynaflan Hoard Here the Irish artist has shown a capacity for classical restraint by a deliberate decision to prevent the ornamentation from spreading so copiously as to blur the proportions contrasting markedly with the lavish ornamental spread of the almost contemporary Tara Brooch and the still more elaborate systems of the later period The bulk of the decoration consists of exquisitely drawn spiral or interlace patterns given depth by the soldering of two layers of gold thread one on top of the other At intervals are set cloisonne enamel bosses of blue and red the complicated manufacture of which shows direct continuity with the Anglo Saxon jewellers craft of the preceding century But apart from the extraordinary perfection of execution of this elaborate decoration what gives to the Ardagh Chalice its outstanding position in Irish metalwork is the strictness of the relationship between the simple swelling lines of the cup and its base and the arrangement of the glittering studs bands and roundels that adorn its surface 3 The standard monograph is L S Gogan The Ardagh Chalice The chalice is similar to the only other major early Irish example to survive the Derrynaflan Chalice found in the neighbouring County Tipperary That was found with a paten and liturgical strainer At that time the ruling dynasty in Tipperary and most of Munster were the Eoganachta while their allies and possible cousins the Ui Fidgenti ruled in the Limerick area see Byrne 2001 Begley 1906 Although the early suggestion that the chalice was fabricated at Clonmacnoise and stolen from there by a Limerick Dane is widely circulated this is unprovable A Munster origin is just as likely if not more so given the 1980 discovery of the sister Derrynaflan Hoard A Clonmacnoise origin is not mentioned at the National Museum of Ireland website 4 The chalice was featured on a 1 value definitive postage stamp issued by An Post between 1990 and 1995 as part of the series Irish Heritage and Treasures designed by Michael Craig Two Gaelic Athletic Association trophies are modelled on the Chalice the O Duffy Cup and the Sam Maguire Cup Notes Edit NMI 185 O Brien Maire O Brien Conor Cruise 1999 1972 Christianity to the Coming of the Normans Ireland A Concise History 3rd ed rev and reprinted ed New York NY Thames and Hudson p 34 ISBN 0 500 27379 0 Stone 18 The Ardagh Chalice Object Number IA 1874 99 National Museum of IrelandReferences Edit NMI Wallace Patrick F O Floinn Raghnall eds Treasures of the National Museum of Ireland Irish Antiquities ISBN 0 7171 2829 6 Stone Lawrence Sculpture in Britain The Middle Ages 1955 Penguin Books now Yale History of Art Further reading EditBegley John The Diocese of Limerick Ancient and Medieval Dublin Browne amp Nolan 1906 Bhreathnach Edel The cultural and political milieu of the deposition and manufacture of the hoard discovered at Reerasta Rath Ardagh Co Limerick in Mark Redknap ed Pattern and Purpose in Insular Art Oxbow Books 2001 Byrne Francis J Irish Kings and High Kings Four Courts Press 2nd edition 2001 Duffy Sean ed Medieval Ireland An Encyclopedia Routledge 2005 Gogan Liam S The Ardagh Chalice Dublin 1932 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ardagh Hoard The Ardagh Chalice at the National Museum of Ireland The Discovery of the Ardagh Chalice Raghnall o Floinn 2019 podcast The Ardagh Chalice Diocese of Limerick Heritage Project LS Gogan Treasures of early Irish art 1500 B C to 1500 A D an exhibition catalogue from The Metropolitan Museum of Art fully available online as PDF which contains material on the Ardagh Hoard cat no 33 34 40 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ardagh Hoard amp oldid 1079432878, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
