Ardagh Chalice

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Ardagh Chalice

The Ardagh Chalice, which ranks with the Book of Kells as one of the finest known works of Celtic art, is thought to have been made in the 9th century AD.

A large, two-handled silver cup, decorated with gold, gilt bronze, brass, lead pewter and enamel, assembled from 354 separate pieces. The names of the apostles are incised in a frieze around the bowl, below a girdle bearing inset gold wirework panels of animals, birds, and geometric interlace. Techniques used include hammering, engraving, lost-wax casting, filigree applique, cloisonné and enameling.

It was found in 1868, together with a small bronze cup and four brooches, by two boys, Jim Quin and Paddy Flanagan, digging in a potato field on the south-western side of a rath (ring fort) called Reerasta, beside the village of Ardagh, County Limerick, Ireland. It had a bronze cup within it, and four ornate brooches (fibulae). Buried without the least protection as they were, the pieces must have been interred in a hurry, probably temporarily, as the owner probably intended to return for them at a later time.

It currently resides in the National Museum of Ireland.

The chalice was featured on a £1 value definitive postage stamp issued by An Post between 1990 and 1995 as part of the series Irish Heritage and Treasures designed by Michael Craig.

It is one of the cups thought to be the Cauldron of Rebirth^{[citation needed]}.

Author Maurice Cotterrall believes the Ardagh Chalice to be the long sought after holy grail, and in his book The Celtic Chronicles (a.k.a Jesus, King Arthur, and the Journey of the Grail in North America) outlines why attempts to date this cup may be way off.