Capel Garmon Firedog

Capel Garmon Firedog
From: National Museum Cardiff

This firedog is unique, and considered to be one of the most important pieces of early decorative ironwork to have been found in Britain. It illustrates the skill and artistic imagination invested in the working of iron during the Celtic Iron Age. It was discovered in 1852 near Capel Garmon, Conwy.
Firedogs, usually used in pairs, would have stood next to the hearth at the heart of a roundhouse. The opposed animal heads with both horse and cow affinities have a mythical beast quality, whose significance we can still only guess at.

This image forms part of the monthly 'Curators Choice' series from Rhagor, the collections based website from Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.

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