Early Christian Ireland 5th and 6th centuries.
Influence on its development:
• This was a time of productivity
despite many changes.
• The Irish seem to have little
difficulty in accepting the Christian
faith.
• Ireland remained a land of tiny
kingdoms or ‘tuaths’ having
occasional arguments.
• Artists, poets and musicians had
high social status.
• Abbeys became centres of
learning and the Early Christian
art of Ireland mainly came from
them.
The Early Christian Faith
Influenced:
• The development of artifacts with
its new concepts, symbols and
forms.
• The Celts accepted these and
new was added to old.
• Patterns and designs were added
to chalices, books, bells and
croziers all of which had a
religious significance.
Early Christian Faith’s Contribution
to Art:
• Monastic communities lived in
settlements made up of huts and
a church.
• Where timber was scarce on the
coastline these buildings were
made from stone.
Gallarus Oratory, Kerry
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At first glance it would remind you
of an upturned boat.
Built of stone, held together
without the aid of mortar by a
system of corbelling (like
Newgrange but more refined)
It measures 7m long and 5m high.
Its doorway is on the west wall
and the window is on the east,
obviously above where the altar
once stood.
The eastern window catches the
early sun, similar to Romanesque
churches of Europe where the
altar always faced east into the
rising sun, which symbolised the
Resurrection.
Aglish Pillar, Kerry
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Stone slabs designed with a cross
inscribed into them were often
placed beside these churches
marking the tomb of a holy
person. Examples of these slabs
are Aiglish Pillar, Kerry, Dunvillaun
Slab, Mayo and Fahan Mura Slab,
Donegal.
Aglish Pillar was probably a
tombstone.
It has a Greek cross carved into
the upper section.
Beneath this, Ogham script is
carved down both sides of the
slab all the way to the ground
level.
The Dunvillaun Slab, Co. Mayo
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It has a design carved on its two
main sides.
One side has a Greek cross
inscribed within a circle similar to
the cross on the Aglish Pillar.
On the opposite side is a primitive
line representation of the
Crucifixion.
Christ appears as the major figure
with an interesting spiral design on
his torso.
Simplicity still appears to be the
key to these Celtic people’s work.
The Fahan Mura Slab (AD 650)
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This is a further development on
the Aiglish and Duvillaun slabs.
The surface area of the stone is
cut back and a cross emerges in
relief from the slab on both the
back and front.
The Greek cross shape is
developed with a shaft of highly
decorative, interwoven strap-work.
Two simple figures stand at the
base, one at each side, of the
interwoven cross design.
By the 8th century, the freestanding cross had emerged, yet
slabs were still in use.
The Carndonagh Cross, Co. Donegal (AD675)
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This is a 7th century cross, one of
the earliest examples of a stone
cut in the shape of a cross.
Though it is a cross shape it is a
primitive one.
The idea of carving a large stone
into the shape of a cross may
have developed naturally. Or, on
the other hand, the people of that
time believed stone had a soul of
its own and to interfere with its
shape could be dangerous.
Strap-work design is used in the
decoration of the cross. One side
is entirely covered with it. On the
other side the strap-work covers
an area which takes the form of a
Greek cross.
On the remainder of this side
there is a carving of Christ
surrounded by four smaller
figures. Under his feet we see
three more figures all seven in
profile. There are two more figures
at either side of the cross.