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‘Fancy Objects’ in the British Iron Age: Why Decorate?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2013

Jody Joy
Jody Joy
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory & Europe, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG
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Abstract

A survey and new perspectives of Celtic or La Tène art from Britain is presented. Following Spratling, Celtic art is defined as ‘ornament or pattern and animal/human/supernatural images in metal and other media’. Regional and temporal variations in the type and usage of decorated artefacts are summarised. Three case studies, made of different media, are presented: metal scabbards, bone and antler weaving combs, and pottery. By asking the question ‘why decorate?’ it is argued that the decision to decorate an artefact can affect its life history, marking it out from undecorated artefacts of the same type. Rather than serving a single function, decoration was employed to serve multiple social goals throughout the Iron Age. Different forms of social expression, such as feasting, elaborate display, or weaving, are significant at any one time or place. It is argued that decorated artefacts often played a significant role in these different social arenas. Contrary to many past discussions, decorated artefacts in media other than metal are demonstrated to have been important in negotiations of social power and cosmology.

Résumé

On présente une étude et de nouvelles perspectives de l'art celte et de la Tène de Grande-Bretagne. Après Spratling, l'art celte a été défini comme un ‘décor ou un motif et des images animales/humaines/surnaturelles en métal et autres matières’. On résume les variations régionales et temporelles dans le type et l'usage des objets décorés. On présente trois études de cas, fabriqués dans des matériaux différents: des étuis en métal, des peignes à tisser en os et bois de cerf, et de la poterie. En posant la question: pourquoi décorer? on argumente que la décision de décorer un objet peut affecter l'histoire de sa vie, le distinguant des objets non décorés de même type. Plutôt que d'avoir une seule fonction, le décor était employé pour satisfaire à de multiples buts sociaux pendant tout l'âge du fer. Différentes formes d'expression sociale, telles que festins, parades élaborées ou tissage, sont significatives à tout moment ou lieu donné. On argumente que les objets décorés ont souvent joué un rôle déterminant dans ces diverses arênes sociales. Il s'avère que contrairement à beaucoup de discussions dans le passé, les objets décorés en des matières autres que le métal étaient importants dans les négociations impliquant pouvoir social et cosmologie.

Zussamenfassung

Dieser Beitrag präsentiert einen Überblick über und neue Perspektiven auf Keltische oder Latène-Kunst aus Großbritannien. Mit Spratling wird Keltische Kunst definiert als „ornament or pattern and animal/human/supernatural images in metal and other media‟. Regionale und zeitliche Variationen in Typen und Nutzung verzierter Artefakte wird diskutiert. Drei Fallstudien an unterschiedlichen Medien werden präsentiert: Metallscheiden, Webkämme aus Knochen und Geweih, sowie Keramik. Anhand der Frage „Warum verzieren?‟ wird argumentiert, dass die Entscheidung ein Artefakt zu verzieren dessen Biographie verändern kann, indem es dieses von unverzierten Objekten des gleichen Typs abhebt. Statt nur einer einzigen Funktion zu dienen, wurde Verzierung während der Eisenzeit für vielfältige soziale Ziele eingesetzt. Verschiedene soziale Ausdrucksformen wie Feste, aufwändige Zurschaustellung oder Weben sind zu einem gegebenen Zeitpunkt und an einem gegebenen Ort jeweils bedeutungstragend. Es wird argumentiert, dass verzierte Artefakte oft eine signifikante Rolle auf diesen verschiedenen sozialen Schauplätzen spielten. Im Gegensatz zu vielen früheren Diskussionen wird gezeigt, dass auch verzierte Artefakte, die aus einem anderen Medium als Metall bestehen, von großer Bedeutung waren beim Aushandeln von sozialer Macht und von Kosmologie.

Resumen

Este trabajo presenta un estudio sobre y nuevas perspectivas del arte céltico o La Tène británico. De acuerdo con Spratling, el arte céltico se define como ‘adorno o diseño e imégenes animales/humanas/sobrenaturales en metal y otros medios’. Se resumen las variaciones regionales y temporales en el tipo y utilización de objetos decorados, y se presentan tres ejemplos, en medios diferentes: vainas de metal, peines de tejedor en hueso y cuerno, y cerámica. A través de la pregunta ‘¿por qué decorar?’ se argumenta que la decisión de decorar un objeto puede afectar su “vida”, destacándolo de otros objetos del mismo tipo no decorados. Más que para servir una única función, la decoración fue empleaba para múltiples objetivos sociales a lo largo de la Edad del Hierro. Diferentes formas de expresión social, tales como banquetes, elaborados despliegues, o tejidos, son importantes en momentos o lugares concretos. Se argumenta que los artefactos con decoración a menudo tuvieron un papel significativo en estos distintos ruedos sociales. Contrariamente a lo que se ha dicho en muchas discusiones previas, se demuestra que los artefactos decorados en materiales que no son metal fueron importantes elementos en las negociaciones de poder social y cosmología.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 77 , 2011 , pp. 205 - 229
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2011

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