Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Zoomorphic Penannular Brooches In 6th And 7th Century Ireland, Esther G. Ward
Zoomorphic Penannular Brooches In 6th And 7th Century Ireland, Esther G. Ward
School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work
In this thesis the author examines the evolution, manufacture, and societal significance of zoomorphic penannular brooches, a type of metal dress fastener used in early medieval Ireland that is often decorated. The brooches examined are dated to the 6th and 7th centuries, during which the Irish underwent a process of religious conversion from Celtic paganism to Christianity, and social rank was paramount. It is in this social context that the brooches are examined. Despite the significance of this time of social change, brooches from this period tend to be overlooked by scholarship in favor of the more ornate …