New light on Iron Age massive armlets

Abstract

Four unpublished armlets of the Later Iron Age `massive' tradition are described and discussed. Two are late-twentieth-century finds, a third being an antiquarian discovery to which a Fetlar (Shetland) provenance can be restored; this casts light on the intellectual networks of the late-eighteenth century, as well as being the first find of early Celtic art from the islands. A further armlet previously provenanced only to the Glamis area can be located to Templelands of Meigle, Perth and Kinross, from antiquarian sources. Current knowledge of this artistic tradition, its products, purpose and stimuli, are reviewed. Includes