IRISH JEWELRY 
ceive the handle of the bell is of sliver elaborately 
decorated. Diarmid Goffey declares it the most 
beautiful object of its kind in existence. He adds: 
“It is clear from the succession of beautiful work 
executed from the eighth to the twelfth century, that 
there must have existed in Ireland during that period 
a school of workers in metal such as has seldom 
been equalled by any individual worker or guild be- 
fore or since, and never excelled. The examples 
described are only the more famous of the remains 
of early Irish Christian art in metal, but they are 
surrounded by numerous examples of pins, brooches, 
and shrines, each worthy to rank with the finest pro- 
ductions of the metal worker. The Shrine of St. 
Moedoc (date uncertain) ought perhaps to be men- 
tioned. On it are found several figures, including 
three nuns, men with books, sceptres, and swords, 
and a lifelike figure of a harper.” 
Besides these ecclesiastical objects however there 
are a large number of personal ornaments such as 
brooches, bracelets, rings, torques made of twisted 
ribbons of gold or silver and to be worn around 
the neck, other necklaces, crowns, minns or diadems, 
amulets, earrings and smaller pieces usually used in 
conjunction with these. Most of these were not 
made for private individuals but were to be worn 
by royalty and those closest to the throne or were to 
be employed in holding ecclesiastical garments to- 
gether, or for the adornment of altars or in con- 
nection with the sacred vessels in religious services. 
The most beautiful of these artistic creations in 
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