It Shines, it Radiates, it Whinnies.

It Shines, it Radiates, it Whinnies.

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Published on

27.04.2022


Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim Collections

Who were the Celts?

Celtiberia

All About Dibulae

Iberian Wickerwork

The Vaccaei

The Art of Filigree

Buy Book: Archaeology Dictionary

Fibula with horse heads
Gold
Celtiberian, Northern Spain, Vaccaei people
2nd to 1st century BC
Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim
Donation by the ISSP
Photography by Nick Bürgin


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The first ever Celtic piece of jewelry in the form of a Celtiberian fibula from the second to first century BC has landed at the doors of  Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim. The art piece was acquired by the International Society of Friends of Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim (ISSP), a non-profit formed in 1997 to support Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim in many of its undertakings.

 

“We are very happy about this fantastic new addition. You don’t actually find an original like this anymore, as there is hardly any Celtic jewelry on the market today. If something really does turn up, it has to stay in the country where it was found,” explains Cornelie Holzach, the director of Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim.

We are very happy about this fantastic new addition. You don’t actually find an original like this any more, as there is hardly any Celtic jewelry on the market today.

So what is a fibula exactly?

As the authors of “A Dictionary of Archaeology” explain it, “Fibulae are metal and metal composite clothes pins, consisting of a bow, pin and catch, which were used throughout Europe in the 1st millennium BC. Proto-type fibulae seem to have developed in the late 2nd millennium BC, and during the 1st millennium BC these evolved into such a variety of designs that they have proved a useful adjunct to pottery as chronological indicators.”

 

The almost seven centimeter long clasp is captivating with its fine filigree wickerwork and two abstractly shaped horse heads leaning towards one another. The delicate wickerwork on either side reveals a plethora of patterns, and the goldsmith who made this brooch understood his craft – that much is certain.

 

Filigree artworks make use of the finest and most malleable gold and the gilded wires in the fibula were forged quite thin. Such painstaking work was time consuming, as the goldsmith not only had to have extreme dexterity, but an equal measure of patience because the wafer thin gold filaments could easily break or crack. There was also the added risk of lumps forming during soldering, which only complicated matters further. In any case, it resulted in a small masterpiece that now glimmers in a hanging showcase in  Schmuckmuseum’s permanent collection.

There is a comparable piece in Madrid, so we can assume with good conscience that it is genuine. Moreover, the piece comes from a secure provenance.

The fibula with horse heads piece is attributed to the Vaccaei tribe of Celtic origin, who settled on the Iberian Peninsula – likely in the central to northwestern part of Spain – and lived off of agriculture. The classical author Diodorus Siculus described the Vaccaei as the most cultured people amongst their neighbours.

 

“There is a comparable piece in Madrid, so we can assume with good conscience that it is genuine. Moreover, the piece comes from a secure provenance,” explains Cornelie Holzach.

 

At the time, horses were integral to transport, farming and impending wars. Only high-ranking members of the tribe could afford a horse, and their animals were elaborately decorated. Many amulets were designed in the shape of animals and decorated with animal motifs, as it was believed that the power of animals would be proffered to the wearer. This fibula reveals two abstract horse heads, which was reflective of the Vaccaei tribe’s rampant tendency to abstraction. Both men and women alike used the fibula as a buckle of sorts to pull their robes taut between the two horses’ heads.

 

But function is just one thing. Above all, this brooch is a unique piece of jewelry imbued with great power and vitality from past millenia. Its intricate craftsmanship and gleaming surfaces remain beautifully preserved to the present day. Whoever stands in its midst can practically hear the neighing of the horses or the soft sight of the goldsmith whose fingers likely became knotted while shaping such a fine feat.

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