The traditional Tara brooch is one of Ireland’s most iconic symbols and you can now have a chance to wear a piece of historic Irish jewelry with your own replica brooch. One of Ireland’s most famous treasures, many people do not know that the brooch was not actually found in Tara! It was actually discovered back in 1850 on Bettystown beach, County Meath. A dealer wanted to realize as much value as possible from the brooch, so attributed its provenance to Tara.
This spectacular brooch is believed to have been crafted around 700 A.D. and it is considered to be one of the greatest achievements of early medieval Irish metalworkers. This exquisite piece of medieval jewellery art is seven inches in length with intricate and beautiful Celtic interlace pattern work, consisting mainly of silver gilt with a knitted silver wire. It is considered to be one of the most magnificent treasures of the Irish Insular style. It was made in many pieces, with much of the decoration on small panels which were then put together. It was originally part of the collection of the Royal Irish Academy, who later transferred their collection to the National Museum. While the Tara brooch is styled as a Roman-style penannular ring brooch, which were mostly used to fasten woolen cloaks, it was not designed to be particularly functional but rather to be worn as a very decorative status symbol. Experts believe that the Tara brooch was commissioned for a very wealthy male to signify his status and his wealth, as the quality of materials and metallurgical craft-work are extremely high. Both the front and back feature elaborate and different designs. The back features Celtic triskeles and other spiral motifs and the front features more interlace and zoomorphic elements. It contains neither Christian nor pagan religious motifs, like many brooches of this period. The Tara brooch is of such historical significance that it is ranked as one of the top treasures of Ireland, along with the Ardagh Chalice (County Limerick) and the Derrynaflan Chalice (County Tipperary). Experts describe the individual elements of decoration on the brooch and the technique represented as nothing less than ‘astounding’. Pay tribute to the history of Ireland with the gift of a classic Tara brooch.