- Chapter Twenty-One -
also with plastic clay), but there are occasional surprises (e.g. the shrine statues from
the source of the Seine or from the first-century Be shrine at Feldbach (Megaw and
Megaw 1989; Moscati et al. 1991: 534; Pittioni 1982). New radiocarbon dates are
revealing some enigmatic pieces, particularly in the British Isles, as being within our
time span Gope and Jacobsthal in press: pI. 312-13; Earwood 1993). Wood was used
with elaborate metal fittings (e.g. the Malomerice flagon, Moscati et al. 1991: 376 fn;
Meduna et al. 1992; d.Jacobsthal 1944: 203, pI. 188-99, nos. 395; d. ibid.: 203, no. 395>
pI. 198-9), and even more unusual organic materials were occasionally used, such as
bark, resins and waxes (e.g. Megaw and Megaw 1990). Wood was also used as the basis
for most shields, single-plank, tripartite, or in one famed case from the Fayum, in
plywood (Kimmig 1940), which implies skilled use of glues. Limitless quantities of
well-prepared seasoned timber were constantly needed for all these purposes, as well
as for sophisticated vehicle-or ship-building (Piggott 1976; Ellmers 1969; Muckelroy
et al. 1978; Stead 1991a; Chapter 15 this volume).
Leather, used for so many purposes, had to be prepared by long obnoxious
processes of tanning, about the early techniques of which we know too little; the
very survival of so much leather in wet conditions shows, however, that the early
tanning processes were effective. The pleasing surfaces of leather were sometimes
stretched over wood, as on shields (Raftery 1983), and the effect of sewn leathers
was even occasionally imitated in bronze Gope and Jacobsthal in press: pI. 270). We
have already seen the well-preserved shoe of c.AD 600 (Figure 21.9); as another
example we might cite the Stonyhurst Gospels as a treasure of ninth-century insular
decorative book-binding deposited in St Cuthbert's coffin (Kendrick 1938: pI. 53).
And we have seen the widely ranging leatherworker's toolkit from the third-second
century Be at La Tene (Vouga 1907: pI. XLVIII.I8).
The range of cloth fabrics (including luxury silks) that became available to Celts
during our time span is now emerging, and evidence for patterning is being derived
both from colouring (Hundt 1961, 1969) and, where that has faded, from varied
weaves (Crowfoot in Stead 1991a; Hundt 1969).
Early Celtic craftsmen made use of resins, waxes, fats and glues, well illustrated
by the Basse-Yutz flagons G. Evans in Megaw and Megaw 1990: 69f. 74-6), showing
for instance how important it could be to use resins and waxes in conjunction with
metals on works of high social status.
Celtic craftsmen led the way in Europe in vehicle design and construction (many
words on this topic in Latin are of Celtic derivation). Vehicles served a wide range
of Celtic societies and vehicle-building drew upon the highest craft skills, and
the very finest materials, such as carefully chosen, regular, fine-grained wood; the
makers were indeed well versed in using varied wood species. They also exploited
the varied properties of metals, as seen in the shrinking-on of iron tyres to wooden
wheels by the second century Be (Piggott 1986: 216-17). And the roller-bearings
of the Dejbjerg carriages of the first century Be are an ultimate refinement (Klindt-
Jensen 1950: 89; Piggott 1986: 213, 227; Moscati et al. 1991: 236-7).
Celtic craftsmen also took every opportunity to add to the visual interest of their
work. Intertwining of strands (as on the Waldalgesheim work of the fourth century
Be: Jacobsthal 1944;Jope 1971) and the cleverly worked intertwining effect in the iron
openwork ornaments of the fifth century Be at Hochscheid, Rhineland (Moscati
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