GoldFoilCoveredLeadBulla
BogofAllen,Co.Kildare.
LateBronzeAge,800-700BC.
GroundFloor
Ór-Ireland'sGoldExhibition
• Bullaearerareobjects.Thisone,
foundinabog,isthelargestone
foundtodate.
Size-Length6.4cm;weight146.9grams.
Material
• Goldfoil.
Form
• Itisasmall,heartshaped,convexstructurewithroundedcornersandbold
decorativemarkingsonbothsides.
• Thebullamayhavebeenwornasaneckpendentwithastringputthroughaninternal,
cylindricalopeningrunningacrossthetop.
Decoration
• Theupperareaofthefrontandbackofthebullaarelinkedbydecorativerowsof
obliqueandparallellinesandhatchedtriangles.
• Thefrontdecorationhasaseriesofrepeatedconcentriccirclesandtriangles
formedwithobliquelines,puncheddotsandanlargecentralu-shapedmotifwhich
couldrepresentafertilitysymbol.
• Thedecorationonthebackisabstractandgeometric;parallellinesare
creativelyorderedinobliquetriangularshapesofverticalandhorizontallines.
Technique
• Theheartshapecoreismadefrommetalandiscoveredwiththin,
goldfoilwhich givestheillusionofasolidgoldobject.
• Thetechniqueofrepousséwasusedtoapplythemotifstothethingoldsheet.
• Dotswerepunchedintothesurfaceofthegoldfromthefront.
Function • Bullaeareso-calledaftersimilarobjectswellknownfromclassicalEurope.
• Liketheclassicalexamples,itmayhavebeenintendedasanamuletormagicaltalisman
providingfertilityorprotectivepowers.
• Itsformsuggeststhatitmayhaveoriginallybeensuspendedfromastring,perhapsof
perishableleatherorawireofbronzeorgold.
BullaefromtheNationalMuseum’s
collection,includingtheBogofAllenbulla.