No. 8] -^ CELTIC RELIQUARY. 17 



the other shrines are decorated with interlacedwork, and in the 

 case of the Monymusk shrine also with zoomorphic designs, 

 motifs belonging to later stages of the Celtic ornamentation, 

 the period of Christian art from about A. D. 650. The Alelhus- 

 shrine on the contrary is quite destitute of these ornaments, but 

 on the remaining circular medallion we see the old native Celtic 

 spiral and trumpet pattern, the exterior surfaces of the shrine being 

 beyond this quite undecorated. The simpleness of its construction 

 and ancient character of the decoration give the shrine a stamp 

 of antiquit3^ and if the total absence of later ornament motifs is 

 not quite accidental, there should perhaps be good reason for as- 

 signing it a date not later than about A. D. 650.^) 



From a Norwegian archæological point of vievv, however, it 

 would be of more interest to know, what time this shrine of Celtic 

 origin was carried to Norway and then deposited in the burial- 

 mound. It is a matter of course that this must have taken place 

 after the beginning of the Viking age ; for a reliquary cannot have 

 been an object of peaceful tråde, but must have been taken by 

 men with sword in nand, 



The archæological chronology of the Viking age is still very 

 uncertain, detailed researches of the antiquities belonging to this 

 period not yet being made. The form and ornamentation of the 

 brooches show, however, that the find with certainty must be 

 referred to an early stage of this period. The youngest of these 

 brooches is doubtless the large and richly decorated fibula illustrated 

 figs. 5— 6, and a determination of the age of this object will also 

 give us the earliest date which can be assigned to the grave. 



The fibula belongs to a group of brooches which are in se- 

 veral respects very interesting. Referring the reader to the important 

 contributions illustrating the origin and development of this brooch- 

 family given by the Swedish archæologists,^) I shall only mention 



1) J. R o m i 1 ly .A 1 1 e n, Celtic .Art in Pagan and Christian Times, pp. 164 fl" 



2) B. S al in, Die allgermanische Thierornamentik, Stockh. 1904, pp. 64 — 68 

 and K. Stjerna, Bidrag till liornholms befolkningshistoria under jernåldern 

 (Antikv. tidskrift for Sverige del 18, nr. 1), pp. 161 ff. Comp I. Undset 

 in Aarbøger for nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie 1889, p. 'M'.\. The 



