| Abstract: |
C Hawkes' introduction (1-27) sets the social milieu of wealth and power within which Celtic art could flourish. S Champion (29-40) discusses the use of Mediterranean coral in the N European Hallstatt and La Tène I periods for brooches, belt-plates and other personal ornaments; in La Tène II enamelling took its place. Frank Schwappach (61-110) illustrates the differences between the eastern and western zones of Early Style ornament, the first being more abstract (Hallstatt-inspired) and the second more floral (with classical inspiration). Movement of craftsmen, or even of princely courts, allowed considerable interpenetration of the styles. Otto Frey (141-65) notes that whereas the Early or 'additive' Style can be dissected into its separate elements, the Waldalgesheim Style cannot; it is also geographically separate from the Early Style (except on the Marne) although chronologically it overlaps. E M Jope (167-84) studies the European stylistic inspiration of the Wandsworth mask-shield which, however, is sui generis (and superlative) in design and execution although eclectic in its sources. The long shield was introduced to Britain in later 3rd century (Witham) and had Italian/Alpine roots, whereas the smaller shields like Wandsworth (early 2nd century) rejected classical influence. H N Savory (185-99) describes the 4-5 La Tène shields from Wales, all with elongated metal fittings, dating them to late 2nd-early 1st century BC. Their art links with Lisnacrogher, Standlake and Torrs, and the local ore resources help to explain the quantity and diversity of Welsh metalwork and its influence on the Irish work. The Turoe Stone is considered by M Duignan (201-17) who attributes its newly recognized four-part ornament to adaptation from an obelisk form at an advanced stage of Insular La Tène related not only to Torrs but (at some remove) to the Mirror Style. P D Lowery and R Savage (219-31) illustrate one roundel of the decoration of the Holcombe mirror to show the complexity of its compasswork construction. O Klindt-Jensen (233-45) discusses the Danubian and Gaulish connections of Scandinavia in late 2nd and 1st centuries BC, with special reference to the Gundestrup cauldron, the phalerae, and the use of silver. Turning to coins, P-M Duval (247-63) suggests a means for stylistic analysis using superimposed tracings of die-linked coins, each of which carries only part of the original design, but in combination show the whole intended pattern. This allows the relation of coins to other La Tène artwork and distinguishes the contributions from Celtic, non-Celtic and coin-specific art. D F Allen (265-81) indicates the very pronounced regionalism in coin-design which arises from different choices of models for copying notes the (scattered) links with other art forms, and demonstrates a poor correlation between stylistic 'development' and chronology. S Piggott, summing up, stresses the aristocratic connections of Celtic art and its consequent involvement in a complex culture of gift-exchange, warfare and looting, contacts between west and east and so on. |
