Celtic Brooches and other jewellery

The Celts of Britain and Europe loved to wear jewellery. There were a few popular types, such as the torc (a necklace made from twisted wire), bracelets, necklaces, and brooches.

Brooches were used to pin together clothes like the cloaks men and women wore. There were many designs, but one that was popular in Britain was the dragonesque brooch. It was shaped like an S with two heads which look like dragons' heads.

The dragonesque brooch, like much Celtic art, was usually made of bronze. The red and blue parts are enamel. This was a type of coloured glass. It was made from a powder which was melted onto the bronze and made a flat layer like glass.

On this page you can see some of these dragon brooches and some other examples of Celtic jewellery.

Dragonesque brooch

  

Dragonesque brooches

Bronze and enamel bracelets

Bronze snake headed bracelet

Necklace of glass beads

Bronze and enamel harness mount, showing how the spaces were left in the bronze and then filled with melted glass powder

Bowl handle in the form of a cat, bronze and enamel