Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Art History and Visual Culture

Department

Art

First Advisor

Nadia Pawelchak McDonald

Second Advisor

Melissa Elmes

Third Advisor

Marie Nicole Pareja Cummings

Abstract

During the early medieval period in the British Isles, jewelry objects, in particular brooches, served many functions, while simultaneously expressing differing social hierarchies and distinctions. The following analysis investigates the forms, materials, iconography, and symbolism present in brooches created by Irish Celtic and early Germanic peoples from the 7th to the 9th centuries CE, also termed Insular artworks. Additionally, this research examines the performative aspects of early medieval brooches in the British Isles, exploring their social roles as mediators between wearer and viewer. By analyzing specific examples such as the 'Tara' Brooch, Kingston Brooch, Londesborough Brooch, and Strickland Brooch, this study illuminates the similarities and differences in brooch design, fabrication, and function between these two cultures. The investigation contextualizes these brooches within the historical framework of the early medieval period, which was characterized by political and religious transformations in both Ireland and England. This analysis explores how brooches served multiple functions, including utilitarian purposes, personal expressions, social class signifiers, and protective talismans. The inquiry also examines the syncretic nature of the iconography present upon the brooches, which combines pagan and Christian symbolism, reflecting the cultural exchanges and artistic traditions present in Insular artworks. A detailed interpretation of the significance of the medium of metal to the each of these cultures, and the functions of the brooch in early medieval society, is also provided. By conducting a comparative study of Irish Celtic and early Germanic brooches, this research presents a comprehensive analysis of how these jewelry objects functioned in Insular societies during the early medieval period. This focused study contributes to the field by offering new interpretations of the visual information present upon these brooches, along with their significance as reflections of the cultural ideologies of their makers, wearers, and patrons.

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