Neck Ring

Unknown

500–300 BCE · Bronze · Medieval Art

This piece testifies to the willingness of Celtic craftsmen to experiment with the form and decoration of the neck ring. With elegant simplicity, it brings together the abstract geometric designs of northern metalwork and the curvilinear motifs of a Mediterranean aesthetic. Flat in section, the neck ring is decorated with an incised geometric pattern of zigzags and punched dots that includes a motif reminiscent of sunbursts. Its "swan's neck" terminals, which fold back on themselves, are incised with a motif derived from the classical Greek palmette.

Artist

Unknown

Date

500–300 BCE

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Celtic

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Gift of Stark and Michael Ward, in honor of Katharine Brown and William Wixom, 2000