Bracelet
Unknown Artist
400–100
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 2 1/2 x 1 15/16 x 3/16 in. (6.3 x 4.9 x 0.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Celtic
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.253
Art Historical Context
This delicate copper alloy bracelet, crafted by an unknown Celtic artist between 400 and 100 BCE, exemplifies masterful metalworking traditions of Iron Age Europe. Measuring just 2½ x 1⅞ x 3/16 inches, its compact form suggests it was worn as personal adornment, likely on the wrist or upper arm, reflecting the Celts' love for jewelry as symbols of status, identity, and craftsmanship. Copper alloys were prized for their workability, allowing artisans to hammer, cast, and possibly decorate pieces with subtle textures or motifs typical of Celtic designs. Hailing from the height of the La Tène pe...