Celtic art in North Britain before 400 A.D.

Abstract

This study of Early Iron Age metalwork in North Britain was begun at the instigation of Professor Piggott in 1960. 310 objects form a basis for the work. The majority have been studied and drawn at first hand; where this has not been possible owing to loss or inaccessibility, resort has been made to published illustrations; pieces belonging to the former group are defined by the underlining of their find spot in the Catalogue. In the first part of the thesis the objects have been grouped for discussion according to function horse trappings,weapons,personal ornaments,domestic equipment and miscellaneous; in each case,lists and distribution maps of the relevant types have been appended at the end of each chapter; bibliographical details are there included to avoid congestion of the text. This arrangement of material is echoed in the Catalogue, with the exception of those objects from the Stanwick hoard which form an appendix. Each piece has a number by which it is identified in the discussion; in the case of the Stanwick material the numbers refer to this accompanying paper. Where possible objects are illustrated full size. Cauldrons are reproduced at 1/4 natural size, full length swords and scabbards at 1/3(details are natural size). The scale of the extended drawings of massive armlets is dictated solely by page size and reference should be made to the detailed measurements which accompany each entry.