‘Tara’ Brooch (recreation)

Fashioned from approximately 40 grams of silver, this rendition of the ‘Tara Brooch’ pays homage to the intricate design of the original. Featuring a hinged section and a delicate chain, it mirrors the craftsmanship of its forebearer. With every surface of the brooch engraved, it encapsulates the dedication of craftsmen past.

Ring diameter: 62mm

Pin length: 117mm

Each individual element of decoration within the original Tara brooch is executed perfectly and the range of technique represented on such a small object is astounding. Fashioned from cast silver, the entire surface is embellished in the La Tène style of Celtic art, with motifs in the Ultimate La Tène style, bird and beast panels and some interlaced knotwork. It is one of the earliest Insular metalwork pieces to depict animals in the zoomorphic style that became widespread in Irish art between the 8th and late 12th centuries. The brooch was likely made for a High King of Ireland or high ranking dignitary, probably from the Kingdom of Brega, a branch of the Uí Néills, who ruled over the area. The Tara brooch is widely considered the most elaborately constructed and decorated surviving insular object, it represents the pinnacle of early medieval Irish metalworkers’ achievement.