Shrines and Relics The fashion for pilgrimage was strong throughout Europe. Relics and shrines dedicated to saints became an essential part of any large monastery. Shrines in a variety of shapes – house-shaped, book shrines and a range of others – were made to display the relics of the saints.
Book shrines were made to contain books associated with an important saint. While this preserved the book from human interference, the pages were often damaged from knocking into the sides of the box when it was moved. This type of damage can be seen on the Cathach and the Book of Durrow.
The Rinnegan or Athlone
Crucifixion Plaque l Form: An 8th-century gilt bronze decoration that was probably once attached to a wooden book
Gilt bronze cast Areas cut away
box. Holes around the perimeter would have allowed it to be pinned to the wood.
l Function: Probably a decoration on a book box or shrine box.
l Technique: A gilt bronze plaque, cast in low relief, with the areas between the figures cut away (Fig. 24.20).
l Decoration: The figures in the crucifixion scene are similar to ones we have seen on the Carndonagh Cross and in the Book of Durrow. An angel sits on each of Christ’s shoulders and the sponge and spear bearers are at his sides. The figures are decorated with spirals based on triskeles and bands of interlace.
The Tully Lough Cross
l Form: An 8th- or 9th-century wooden cross, almost 2 m tall, with metal decoration (Fig. 24.21).
l Function: An Irish altar cross
that could be carried in
procession.
l Technique: The sheet metal parts
on the surface of the cross
are nailed on to an oak core. The
edges are finished in tubular binding strips with animal-head cast terminals. Originally, the decorated areas were gilt and the flat areas were tinned, which would have created a much
more glittering effect than the exposed bronze plates and
castings that we see today. The central
pyramid-shaped boss Figure 24.20 The Athlone (Rinnegan) Crucifixion Plaque. 346 Figure 24.21 The Tully Lough Cross. NEW APPRECIATING ART IRELAND AND ITS PLACE IN THE WIDER WORLD Cast
