Ardagh Hoard

The hoard consists primarily of the famous Ardagh Chalice and a much smaller, simpler silver chalice. It also included four ornate silver brooches, all dating back to the 8th century during Ireland's early medieval period.

The treasure was found in 1868 by a young boy digging for potatoes near the ringfort of Reerasta in Ardagh, County Limerick, Ireland. The items were buried together in the ground, likely hidden by a monk or metalworker during a Viking raid.

The Ardagh Chalice and the rest of the hoard are permanently housed in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of early medieval Insular art in the world.

The chalice was constructed using hundreds of individual components, including gold, silver, bronze, and brass, decorated with glass and enamel. Its design features intricate interlacing animal motifs and Greek lettering, heavily influencing the aesthetics of later Celtic metalwork.